By Mary Gunderson – You might see Levi around town: U.S. Bank Stadium where he works part-time; Allianz Field for Minnesota United FC games; or out and about in Downtown Minneapolis where he resides. At his side, you’ll see his Can Do Canine Mobility Assist Dog, Surley, the almost-white Labrador. Levi has cerebral palsy and loves his active life, but since he uses a power chair when out in public, he couldn’t be so active without the assistance Surley provides. Surley is on the job whenever he’s asked to pick up things from the floor. He also helps by doing …
Feature Stories
Lambeau Leaps into Nora’s Life
Nora grew up in Southern Ohio. Her dad played semi-pro football, and she quickly became a fan of the game, going to Cincinnati Bengals games and college matchups. When she was 14, her family moved to Minnesota, but Nora struggled to embrace her new state’s pro team. Her perception of fan commitment, along with sitting inside the 70-degree Metrodome, didn’t work for her. “You’re not supposed to take your coat off when you go to a football game. That’s just backwards. We’re in Minnesota. So I really didn’t vibe with the whole Viking thing.” A few years later, she entered …
Dog Walkers Jeff and Laurie Have Really Stepped Up
In a strange way, cats are inevitably responsible for leading married couple Laurie Mackert and Jeff Anderson to the path as dog-walkers for Can Do Canines. Laurie and Jeff started as short-term dog hosts in Winter 2022, but Laurie reports, “It turned out to be too stressful for our cats.” Laurie had already been volunteering then as a dog walker at the Animal Humane Society (AHS), and a fellow volunteer, Mike McLaughlin, who walked both there and at Can Do Canines recommended our organization to her. “He had nothing but good things to say about his role at Can Do …
Qantas is Making Life Easier for Bethany
By Beth Billstrom – In 2022, Bethany experienced a horrifying seizure brought on by a stroke. Unbelievably, her then five-year-old daughter was home and knew how to call EMS. Bethany states, “She helped me through until the emergency medical team arrived. I’m so grateful to her, but she’s a child. I needed a different plan.” Although she feels lucky that her husband and daughter are willing to help her, she knows her conditions are stressful for them, too. “They always worry about me,” admits Bethany. “They need to go to work and school, so being left by myself is scary …
Uzi Brings Help and Happiness to Diane’s Life
“Living with chronic pain can be so isolating,” says Diane, who was born with a hip defect and diagnosed with scoliosis in junior high. When she later had children, her pregnancies caused her symptoms to progress, prompting multiple hip surgeries. Now, with rods in her spine and the onset of psoriatic arthritis, she states, “I have a lot of nerve pain that doesn’t go away.” In her mid-40s, she had to quit her job as a hospital lab technician to focus on managing her pain. She began using a cane and despite the medicines she was taking, Diane says that …
Karen Falls in Love with Mobility Assist Dog Ulla
“I used to fall 2 or 3 times a week,” says Karen, referring to the effects of having her leg amputated below the right knee in 2020. In late 2013, a joint in Karen’s foot collapsed, prompting a series of reconstruction surgeries—several of which were unsuccessful. She then developed type 2 complex regional pain syndrome, a neurological condition associated with intense or prolonged pain. By the time the amputation was necessary, mobility was a real challenge. “I had not walked in six years, Karen explains. “It was like having to learn how to walk again, and now I’m having an …
Ruby Aims to Make More Red-Letter Days for Tiffany
Tiffany says of her Can Do Canine, Ruby, “I fell in love with her the first time I saw her.” Tiffany has had dogs all her life, but never one with a black spot on their tongue, and not a skilled assistance dog before. Ruby, though, is committed to proving her worth. This beautiful black Lab has been trained for both hearing and mobility assistance to help Tiffany deal with symptoms caused by a 2020 traumatic brain injury. The risk of falling and hurting herself when bending over is one of Tiffany’s biggest fears, so Ruby is happy to pick …
Autism Assist Dog Rully Brings a Sense of Calm to Charlie’s LIfe
By Jessica Kellogg – Charlie is an outdoorsy kid; he loves to swim, camp, and fish. He is the middle of three brothers and loves animals. Charlie also has autism. He often struggles in public situations, especially where he is expected to stay calm and regulated. For years, this has meant that he would elope if a situation became overwhelming. “I can’t tell you the number of times he just disappeared,” says Charlie’s mom, Katie. “It almost got to the point where I stopped panicking, so we had to stop doing all the typical fun kid things.” When Charlie was …
David and Niles enjoy their new adventure together
Mobility Assist Dog Niles is putting on the miles. That’s because Niles was matched with David, who is known for his love of outdoor adventures. It was one such adventure in July 2019 that changed the trajectory of David’s life. While on a biking expedition with friends, David had a near-fatal fall off a cliff above the Mississippi River. The accident caused a spinal cord injury, leaving David with no movement in his legs and limited use of his hands and fingers. He says that in addition to being able to weakly pinch items with one hand, “I can kind …
Independence Day Means Even More Now for Megan
By Mike Branch – Megan was paired with her service dog, Iggy, just after Independence Day—July 4—a fitting time to receive the Mobility Assist Dog who would have such a profound impact on her daily life. Megan lives with a rare, progressive disease called Friedreich’s ataxia that results in diminished capacity for movement and loss of sensation over time. Since Freidreich’s ataxia is a progressive disease, actions that others take for granted have become more difficult for Megan. Picking up dropped items, opening doors, and even getting around in her wheelchair can be challenging and time-consuming, requiring more attempts and …
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