Last spring, children at the Mary C Snow Elementary school lost their therapy dog, Paca, when the dog’s owner and handler moved to South Carolina. But just this week, students from Lincoln County helped them raise enough money for a new therapy dog.
“A therapy dog could help us calm down and would help us get along,” said Gabriela Ciordia, a fourth grader at Mary C. Snow school elementary school. She remembers the school’s former therapy dog, named Paca, and says the dog helped students learn to read. Last year, Paca even helped calm two kids down who were in an argument, said Ciordia.
But Paca had to move away last year when her owner, librarian Debbi Cannada, accepted a new job out of state. Students have been raising money for the past year to buy a new therapy dog, which costs about $6,000 and will be specially trained to serve as a de-escalation tool, a calming presence, a listening ear, and a reading incentive for students.
To raise money, students asked their family and neighbors to pitch in, and a lot of the money collected was in the form of coins.
Elementary students in Lincoln County gave them a boost. They raised $1,000 for the Mary C Snow students.
Gaige Searls is one of the students from Lincoln County who traveled to Charleston on Wednesday to present the money. Last year, their school got a therapy dog, and when they heard that Mary C Snow students lost theirs, they wanted to help.
“I’m just thinking if we have a therapy dog, they should have one too.
The new therapy dog for Mary C Snow Elementary should be arriving for work later this fall.
Dog lovers can get a guide of pet-friendly attractions in West Virginia.
The free, 20-page booklet lists places to go and things to do while accompanied by pets on leashes.
The state Division of Tourism released the “West FURginia Guide” last week.
The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports that among such available attractions are several restaurants and eateries, dog-friendly cabins at state parks, and sternwheeler cruises to Blennerhassett Island State Historical Park.
Copies of the guide are available by calling (800) 225-5982, or by visitingwww.GoToWV.com .
The devastating flood last week displaced not only people, but also many pets. Lots of folks are having a hard time finding a place for their furry friends to stay as they look for a new home. Some Humane Associations in the state are stepping up to do what they can to help – like the Kanawha County Humane Association.
Dozens of volunteers stood outside the Kanawha County Humane Association on Tuesday in the hot sun, loading up heavy bags of dog and cat food onto trucks.
“Today we’re accepting dog food or actually any donations animal related,” said Joshua Felty, Director of Operations at the Kanawha County Humane Association, “We’re using some of it at the shelter here, and we’re also loading up trucks and sending food up to Clendenin, Elkview, all over the place, just wherever they need help up there.”
Credit Liz McCormick / West Virginia Public Broadcasting
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West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Literally thousands of pounds of pet food were donated on Tuesday alone, but Felty says that’s not the only way his organization is trying to help.
“We’re offering free boarding as well, so it’s not just impoundment,” he said, “Once those animals come in, we vaccinate, and we’re doing all that for free. We’ve had several animals come in that have already went home. They’re still coming in though.”
At the time of this interview, Felty said his facility was holding about twenty dogs for flood victims.
“Some people are going to shelters, and they can’t take their animals with them, so we will hold them as long as we need to, and again that’s going to be free of charge. You know, it’s the least we could do.”
The West Virginia Division of Agriculture reports several shelters are open for pets in the wake of flooding events:
Kanawha County — Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association 1248 Greenbrier Street Charleston, WV 25311. Phone Number (304) 342-1576. Opened on Saturday June 25.
Greenbrier County — Greenbrier County Humane Association 151 Holliday Drive Lewisburg, WV. Phone Number (304) 645-4775. Opened on Tuesday, June 28.
Fayette County — Fayette County Volunteers 26719 Midland Trail (Midland Trail High School) Lookout, WV. Opened on Tuesday, June 28. Point of Contact Is: Kevin Walker (304) 574-1610.
A new policy that'll assign police dogs to another handler has sparked protest from some Martinsburg residents.The Journal reports Martinsburg police said…
A new policy that’ll assign police dogs to another handler has sparked protest from some Martinsburg residents.
The Journal reports Martinsburg police said in a statement Saturday that supervisors will no longer be assigned as canine handlers.
Police Chief Maury Richards says a review found that supervisors couldn’t perform both tasks effectively.
The policy goes into effect May 1.
The canine handler position will be offered to patrolmen, who’ll complete a two-week training with the dog before beginning their assignments around mid-May.
Resident Melonie Phelps was joined by others as she led a rally Monday for her husband, police Sgt. Craig Phelps, to keep Argos, the department’s canine drug dog.
She says she’s devastated knowing Argos, who she considers a part of her family, will be with another handler.
Rachel Gregory’s service dog Missy demonstrates a “hug.” Missy has been taught by veteran inmates at FCI Morgantown to react when Gregory exhibits stress or anxiety.
At a federal prison in Morgantown, Jeff Marrero is working with his service dog Biley on how to close doors. The golden retriever walks over to the door, tugs the thick rope wrapped around the door knob and pulls it closed.
Marrero, a United States military veteran, is serving a nine year sentence for a non-violent drug charge. For the past two and a half years, he has worked as a part of the Veterans to Veterans Dog Program – an outreach initiative of the Morgantown-based service dog training program Hearts of Gold and West Virginia University. Dogs in the program are trained by inmates, then issued free of charge to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder or mobility issues, veterans like Rachel Gregory.
Credit Kara Lofton / WV Public Broadcasting
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WV Public Broadcasting
Biley tugs a door shut as part of a training exercise at FCI Morgantown.
Gregory did not serve overseas, but suffers from PTSD due to a military-related sexual assault she was the victim of here at home. Missy helps her cope with the trauma, following her to work at Best Buy.
“We’re working on a cover me command right now,” she said. “Where eventually once I find someone to pair up with me and train she’ll notify me from a certain amount of distance behind me that someone is coming up behind me and I don’t freak out.”
Missy is also trained to lick her hand or lean against her legs when the dog senses Gregory getting stressed or anxious. Gregory says Missy’s presence and support helps prevent the panic attacks she used to experience and allows her to maintain a normal, healthy work schedule and social life.
When a trigger occurs, “I just focus in on her and I know that I’m ok,” she said.
Credit Kara Lofton / WV Public Broadcasting
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WV Public Broadcasting
Missy waits for Gregory at Best Buy. Gregory says despite the dog’s vest and service dog designation, most people do not respect that Missy is a working dog. “She gets plenty of love and playtime,” says Gregory. “But when she is out in public with me she is working.”
Marrero was one of the inmates who helped train Gregory’s dog Missy. Back at the prison, Marrero is putting Biley, who happens to be the littermate of Missy – through her training paces.
Marrero explains that the name – Biley – comes from the word bilingual. Marrero is teaching her commands in both Spanish and English so that if needed, she could go to a veteran for whom English is a second language.
At FCI Morgantown, there are now 19 veteran-inmates in the program. 10 dogs have completed training at the prison and been placed with veterans in the community. 12 more are currently in training, although a Hearts of Gold spokeswoman said not all of those will successfully achieve the rigorous designation of service dog. Some will instead become emotional support dogs, therapy dogs or pets.
While the program benefits are clear for veterans who receive dogs on the outside, veteran inmate Michael Graboske says he’s benefited from the program too. Training dogs has helped Graboske deal with the stress and anxiety of incarceration.
“The first time I took a dog out, I took it out back to the playpen and I threw a ball and all kind of emotions were released,” said Graboske. “And from there on learning to work with the dogs and their behaviors – teaching them it’s a beautiful thing after being in jail a long time and having the opportunity again – it opened me up to feel again. I was a complete shell and it brought me out.”
Credit Kara Lofton / WV Public Broadcasting
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WV Public Broadcasting
Vivien, Michael Graboske’s goldendoodle, grabs a bottle of medication off a table as part of a training exercise at FCI Morgantown.
Morrero agrees.
“It’s a win-win situation,” he said. “I like the concept of veterans for veterans because when we were in our forces we had each other backs. Because we are incarcerated now, this is a way for us to maintain that promise we made in the service.”
Veterans to Veterans is not just providing inmates with emotional rehabilitation, but also is teaching them a marketable skill they can use upon their release. All inmate-veterans participating in the program will have the opportunity to become certified service dog trainers and both Graboske and Morrero say they plan to continue their work once released.
Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, with support from the Benedum Foundation.
K-9s from across the state and their handlers have gathered in Charleston for an annual training camp.Local media outlets report the West Virginia Police…
K-9s from across the state and their handlers have gathered in Charleston for an annual training camp.
Local media outlets report the West Virginia Police Canine Association is having its conference and yearly certification meeting this week at Camp Virgil Tate in Kanawha County.
Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Paxton Lively says they have about 56 to 60 dog teams that are being put to the test.
The dogs will get certified for narcotics, tracking, patrol, building searches and apprehension.
The K-9s range from bloodhounds and narcotic dogs to patrol dogs and bomb dogs.
Dog teams must re-certify every year in searches or attacks.
WOWK-TV reports K-9 officers also train 16 hours a month to stay up-to-date on techniques, legislation and court rulings.
