Canine Angels, Inc. (Canine Angels Service Dogs)

After a long, entrepreneurial career, I am financially secure and need no compensation, but many people are not. Growth is limited when you rely on volunteers. With this prize, Canine Angels could hire staff, trainers and talented communicators, to expand our efforts in these areas:

1- Serve more veterans and first responders at reduced rates

2- Educate the public and business community about service dog etiquette and behavior   

3- Fight the plague of fake service dogs that harms every disabled person who relies on their dog as a medical device

4- Increase awareness of ADA-granted rights for disabled service dog handlers

5- Expand our autism program to assist more families

6- Educate businesses about their rights to protect customers from untrained dogs

7- Raise awareness of rampant Military Sexual Assault, which causes PTSD

8- Cover expenses for disabled handlers who travel to train 

9- Produce ebooks on dog training, rights and service-related topics to fund our mission

10- Create video seminars to help the public understand signs of autism, PTSD, and the needs of service dog handlers

Everyone at CASD is a volunteer. We receive no compensation of any kind. I will never accept a salary.

I came from a military family, but was unable to serve as a young man, so it’s my privilege to serve American heroes as an older one. We owe a debt we can never fully repay to the veterans who protected our freedom. 

When I was little, our home was robbed. The frightening part was returning to bright red swastikas painted on the walls. My dad and uncles served in WWII, protecting Americans from the horrors abroad.  

During the Vietnam era, returning troops faced ridicule. People spat on them and threw garbage. Vietnam veterans never got help when they needed it most.

Pairing my love of dogs and ability to train them with helping wounded warriors was a natural fit. We love rescuing dogs from overcrowded kill shelters to rehabilitate and socialize, instill obedience, and task work.

We also help domestic heroes, our first responders. Like veterans, they suffer alarming rates of PTSD. Our dogs are successfully helping kids with autism, whose meltdowns are similar to some PTSD symptoms.

We want to help veterans, first responders and kids with autism on a broader scale. We need public education for greater awareness of the ADA and rights of people with disabilities. 

More than 1 million vets call the Carolinas home and at least 26 percent are disabled. PTSD is rampant. Every day, we lose more than 20 U.S. veterans to suicide. 

There are 2 million first responders in the U.S. and 30 percent develop PTSD, depression, etc. The malady affects jobs, destroys families and can easily lead to drug abuse in the Carolinas, where the opioid epidemic is raging and meth labs are always in the news. CASD steps up before they lose hope, self medicate and potentially cause others harm. PTSD may not be contagious, but the effects surely are.

A service dog can help heroes cope with both physical and mental challenges. Dogs become battle buddies and confidants. No prescription pill can accomplish what a dog can. They don’t judge and they’re great listeners. Caring for the dog gives the veteran or first responder renewed purpose and a sense of worth.

We placed a full-time therapy dog with a fire and EMS station to ease tension after horrific calls before PTSD sets in. The dog senses emotions and provides comfort to all personnel. Inquires about service dogs for first responders have been steadily increasing.

Many organizations breed dogs while 1.5 million dogs are killed in shelters each year. Most are healthy and eager to learn, but never had proper training.

Goldens and Labradors make fine service dogs, but we don’t discriminate by breed. We have trained dogs from 6 to 110 pounds to fit specific needs. A quadriplegic Army vet needed a dog to summon emergency help, but a large dog could accidentally injure him in bed or motorized wheelchair. To calm his PTSD, he also needed a service dog in close contact. So we trained a Yorkie to do the job from his lap.

We train every team individually because every disability is unique and so is every dog. The handler sets the pace. It’s a journey, not a sprint. We remain involved for the life of the dog. If a disability worsens, we’re there to teach new tasks. 

We serve veterans, even if their injury is not combat related. 

We do not match until the handler and dog meet. Many organizations will match from questionnaires. We want to witness that intangible connection. Sometimes, a dog’s indifference to a potential handler surprises us. Likewise, the handler must respond to a particular dog. 

In the loosest sense, we want to ease suffering from physical and psychological pain.

Every case of PTSD damages families, impacts employers and coworkers, often leading to drug addiction and financial ruin.  

We are changing the world one dog at a time. Everything starts with rescuing dogs to ease shelter overcrowding. Dogs get a purpose serving veterans and first responders. They stop contemplating suicide. And families with autistic kids gain hope that their child won’t be isolated.

Autism affects 1 in 54 U.S. children, mostly boys. For families, that means controlling meltdowns, limiting stimuli, and endless explanations of odd behavior to strangers.  

One mom tells us that our service dog taught her child empathy and responsibility he’d never shown before. He proudly cares for his dog and controls his emotions to avoid upsetting her.

A Marine writes: “My wife thanks CASD every day for saving our marriage. I am a great husband and father now. Before, I could not take care of anyone, including myself.” 

A caregiver shared her relief that her husband’s service dog won’t leave his side, so she can leave the house. 

Every handler must submit proof of 100 visits to various businesses before the certification test.