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Empire Servicedog Program is a charity that places service dogs with people who have physical disabilities.
When a friend told Laurel about the service, the family decided to begin training the dogs at their home in Schodack. They took in their first dog, Brennan, who is currently aiding a woman who uses a wheelchair.
Service dogs spend a year or more with a host family. During the training they work with people in potential situations, and receive obedience training. During the training, Dan says he brings Inde to work, the movies, and to church.
"Everywhere I go, I take the dog," he said. "So he can get used to large crowds, and interacting with people in a variety of circumstances."
Further training includes the integration of certain skills.
"We teach them to jump up on the door to close it, pulling on doors to open them, and retrieval skills such as fetching dropped keys, pull a wheelchair or take off socks or shirts for an owner who has difficulty with those types of tasks," Dan said.
After about two years of training, a service dog must pass tests to ensure their abilities are reliable. Then the dog can be placed with a person in need of assistance.
One of the biggest obstacles is continued funding for service dogs after placement.
"We sell blankets and chocolate lollipops," Whitney says. "Recently we held a piano concert at Guilderland High School." The benefit concert was free of charge, but audience members were encouraged to donate to the ESP fund.
The organization reimburses puppy trainers for veterinarian and equipment costs, but the host families are not paid back for dog food.
"We are always looking for new members," says Whitney. "Board members, trainers and fund raisers."
For more information visit www.empireservicedogs.org.
To contact reporter Catherine Sager email csager@IndeNews.com.
