Rick Patrick
rick@greenepublishing.com
Jules Lopez, a Marine veteran of three and a half years from New England, was recently in town to meet a new friend and companion by the name of “Ghost.” Ghost is a two and a half-year-old Belgian Malinois who has received basic training from Forgotten Coast K9. Ghost has been paired with Lopez to work as a service dog. Like many veterans who have returned from Afghanistan, Lopez has had issues with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Ghost has already been trained to recognize those symptoms and assist Lopez as she needs. Ghost will also undergo a very specialized training regimen, specifically for Lopez. Lopez has a physical heart condition that can occasionally cause her to black out. Ghost will be trained to recognize those symptoms early in order to alert Lopez and possibly help her avoid a dangerous situation, such as while driving.
According to Chris O'Brian, with Forgotten Coast K9, Ghost and Lopez is merely the latest pairing the group has been able to facilitate this year. The non-profit organization helps pair service dogs with veterans and first responders, often providing a life-saving service for veterans/first responders dealing with PTSD. There are a variety of different ways they can be paired with a dog. In the “Build a Battle Buddy” program, a veteran is paired with a young dog and the veteran/first responder takes an active role in the training of the dog. In the “Buy a Battle Buddy” program, a veteran/first responder is paired with an adult dog that has already been trained. In each case, a significant amount of work goes into building the veteran/dog team. Forgotten Coast pays for travel and lodging for veterans for the time they are here in Madison working with their dogs. According to O'Brian, it costs approximately $20,000 per veteran/dog team. Another option for someone who may not need a full-blown service dog is an Emotional Support Dog for veterans. This is a program for veterans/first responders who may simply need a companion to help them through their daily activities. “The Emotional Support Dogs are trained in high-level obedience, have a solid baseline for advanced training and are conditioned to handle situations better that others that label their dogs as 'service dogs.'”
Forgotten Coast K9 is always seeking donations to help with the cost of providing dogs with veterans and first responders. Any donation, large or small, is greatly appreciated. “Someone might think a five dollar donation won't make a difference,” said O'Brian. “But a five dollar donation can help buy a bottle of dog shampoo that will make traveling with a dog much easier. We are very appreciative of any and all donations we receive, large or small.”
Forgotten Coast K9 is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax deductible in accordance with IRS rules. To donate, or to learn more about Forgotten Coast K9, please visit their website at www.forgottencoastk9.org. You may also call them at (850) 508-7386 or email them at forgottencoastk9@gmail.com.