Facility Dog Deano doesn’t have to raise his right hand—or, in his case, paw—and solemnly swear to tell the whole truth, but he is committed to helping humans who do have to do this. This spring, Deano was placed with two Victim Witness Specialists for the Anoka County Attorney’s Office. In this role, the women meet with those who may have to take the witness stand in a courtroom for any type of felony case, ranging from theft to homicides. One explains that they “help victims and witnesses through the court process. It’s a scary time for a lot of …
assistance dogs
One Assistance Dog, Murphy’s Law, Keeps Everything From Going Wrong
By Jessica Kellogg – Imagine for a moment that the seemingly simple act of bending down to pick up a dropped item could stop your breathing. This is the reality for Tabitha Althoff, whose Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) can cause her ribs to interlock and block her lungs from inflating any time she bends down. “You don’t realize how much you drop until someone is there nudging you with it.” EDS is a condition that affects the body’s connective tissue and can cause joints to dislocate for no reason. However, Tabitha also has Ankylosing Spondylitis, which causes the bones in the …
Hearing Assist Dog Jacqui Brings Natalie From Isolation to Independence
By Susan Byers – Out of the shadows and into the light. That’s how Natalie describes the impact of a Hearing Assist Dog on her life. Natalie was born with severe to profound bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, but it wasn’t diagnosed until she was 2 years old. She began wearing hearing aids at age 3. Her mother helped her catch up with language development and American Sign Language (ASL) classes, and at school, she had an ASL interpreter. But Natalie resisted using ASL and struggled to fit into the hearing world. By young adulthood, her hearing had declined, and she …
It takes a team – and tools – to manage diabetes
By Susan Byers – At work, Gretchen manages a program that helps nurses access the right tools to serve elderly patients. In her personal life, she also relies on important tools to help manage her Type 1 diabetes. Gretchen developed Type 1 diabetes 13 years ago. Even though there was a history of diabetes in her family, the disease came on unexpectedly for her. She dismissed early symptoms as merely stress or a hormone imbalance. But once she was officially diagnosed, Gretchen was a fast learner. With minimal diabetes management education, she quickly learned to use short-term and long-term insulins, …
Jersey Balances Work and Play to Benefit Others
At M Health Fairview’s Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain (MIBD), some patients can now touch a dog while on site. This dog, though, is doing more than simply touching them back; she is touching countless lives. Ann, Jersey, and Cala Facility Dog Jersey joined Child Life Specialists Cala and Ann at MIBD early in 2023. “She’s just a blessing,” says Cala. Not only can Jersey perform retrieving, snuggling, and “visiting” (lying her head on a lap) skills on command, she also engages in “medical play.” One example is how she shows young patients—using a mock MRI scanner—what a real …
A Homebody of a Dog Joins his Forever Home
By Jorae DuPont – Jimi is a Lab cross with a side of couch potato. He loves to lie around the house, snoozing or occasionally chasing a ball. But to Ben, who’s recovering from a stroke, Jimi is a furry hero complete with superpowers and a cape. When Ben needs him, Jimi drops the laid-back persona like a hot potato to jump into action. Ben’s life looks a lot different now “post-stroke.” His mobility has changed. He has no function in his right arm and hand. He tires easily. But none of that bothers Jimi in the least. In February, …
Seizure Assist Dog Castle Gives Rebekah a Reason to Live
Rebekah, who was matched with Seizure Assist Dog Castle in late 2022, has a history with working dogs. She says, “I had a Golden Retriever growing up as a kid. He was a trained therapy dog.” Without knowing this history, Can Do Canines selected Castle for Rebekah, who also happens to be a Golden Retriever. Referring to this coincidence, Rebekah says, “Having Castle is almost like he’s living on through her.” Compared to her previous dog, Castle is trained to help Rebekah with new challenges in her life. When Rebekah applied to Can Do Canines, she had what she called …
Marina and Mobility Assist Dog Jazmin Create a Connection
By Julie Kirsch – Marina has what is described as a dynamic disability. She suffers from degenerative disc disease and auto-immune disorders. A car accident when she was 19 years old triggered the problems with her back. Her disability can vary greatly from day to day, or even hour to hour. There are good days and bad days. “Some days I can go for a walk, and other days I can’t get out of bed,” explains Marina. Although Marina previously had a privately trained service dog, she had been without a dog for four years. Then she suffered a fall …
Facility Dog Inka Gives Back What was Given to Her
It’s not typical for a child who must have routine hospital visits to look forward to the next appointment. Can Do Canine Inka, a facility dog at M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital, is having that exact effect, though. In late 2022, Inka was matched with Child Life Specialists Sam and Jen to serve on two floors of medical-surgical pediatric units. Sam and Jen were familiar with what being dog handlers would entail, because Can Do Canines Fern began as a facility dog in their building months prior. Sam says she had been looking for a new challenge in her …
David and Java Learn to Lean on Each Other
By Mike Branch – Due to a neuro-cognitive disorder and peripheral neuropathy, David lives with balance and mobility issues. His original Can Do Canine, Jewel, could steady David when he was off balance, help him navigate staircases, and retrieve items that had been dropped. Over time, by living with David, she even learned the cues David would experience before having a seizure. When necessary, Jewel, could perform a full set of rescue behaviors by nudging and nibbling him and even licking his face to bring him back from a seizure. Jewel was nonjudgmental, compassionate, and loyal. Despite her superhero-like skills, …
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