This inspirational video has been melting hearts of pet lovers, as it highlights the lives of a few local 4-legged heroes and the people they protect.
The video was created for the 20th anniversary celebration of two local organizations who work together to match people in need, with service dogs.
Canine Assistants is an organization based out of Milton and founded in 1991. With the support of Milk-Bone, they place service dogs with people who suffer from mobility issues, type 1 diabetes, epilepsy, and other medical issues. They also have companion dogs used for therapy and intervention services.
"Our mission is to educate dogs and the people who need them so they may improve the lives of one another," according to Canine Assistants mission statement.
Soul Pancake partnered with Milk-Bone to create the video highlighting the valor of these pups.
As part of their reward, these service dogs received an arrangement of Milk-Bone treats and toys. The owners also were given a picture of them and their pals in a frame.
Victors Dolive is autistic and suffers from seizures, hearing and vision problems. His dog Willow helps with his autism as well as alerting of Victor's heart condition.
Goldendoodle Mossy helps recognize when Michelle Renard's blood sugar is too high or low because of her type 1 diabetes. As part of her diabetes she has hypoglycemic unawareness which prevents her from having noticeable symptoms.
With the help of Vera, Chip Madren is able to participate in many activities that he normally wouldn't be able to since his brain tumor diagnosis when he was 13-years-old. The tumor left Chip unable to speak and swallow for months.
Rosalie Brown suffers from epilepsy causing seizures, and at one point she had 300 seizures a day. Her retriever Rolex helps her from serious injuries during her episodes, among other things.
Canine Assistants is participating in a 4-year study conducted by Purdue University to produce evidence-based research documenting the "pet effect" on the mental health and well-being of people.
If you know someone who could benefit from having a service or therapy dog contact Canine Assistants at 770-664-7178.
