Shelter Dogs

by Peg Kehret

  The staff decided that Kirby was not going to recover from his terrible ordeal, and that euthanasia would be the kindest option. Much as they wanted a different outcome, they all agreed that this was best for Kirby.

  Nita was assigned to assist Dr. Larson with the euthanasia. Because they wished they didn’t have to do it, they put off going to Kirby’s kennel until the very end of the day.

  With heavy hearts, Nita and Dr. Larson put on thick leather gloves to protect themselves from Kirby’s teeth. They took tools to dismantle the carrier that Kirby refused to leave and towels to put over him to help subdue him long enough to put a leash on him.

  When they got to Kirby’s kennel, he reacted as usual: he barked fiercely, snarled, and backed away.

  Nita’s eyes filled with tears as she looked at the sad little dog. She had tried so hard to save him, and she had failed.

  Nita and Dr. Larson slipped inside the kennel and, using a screwdriver, took all the nuts and bolts off the carrier. They planned to use the carrier door as a shield in case Kirby attacked.

  With the carrier dismantled, Nita managed to loop a leash around Kirby’s neck. When Kirby felt the leash, he stopped struggling and stood still, looking perplexed.

  Nita squatted down to be at his level, but she stayed the leash length away in case he tried to bite her. Kirby stood quietly and stared at her. Dr. Larson watched nervously, warning Nita to be careful.

  Nita said softly, “Hey, Kirby. Want to go for a walk?”

  When Kirby heard the word walk, he wagged his tail. He cocked his head, looking excited and enthusiastic. There was no snarling, no snapping, and no backing away.

  Nita and Dr. Larson stared in disbelief.

  Nita repeated the question. “Walk? Shall we go for a walk?”

  Kirby’s eyes lit up, and he quivered in anticipation.

  Nita stood up and led Kirby out of the kennel and into the outdoor exercise yard. Kirby trotted along beside her. After a few laps around the yard, Nita removed the leash and tossed a tennis ball. Kirby ran after it and brought it back. When he dropped the ball at Nita’s feet, she reached out to pat him, and Kirby wriggled with pleasure.

  They continued the game of catch until Kirby grew tired. Then Nita sat on the walkway, and Kirby climbed into her lap for a snuggle. Nita stroked his fur, scratched behind his ears, and rubbed his tummy. Kirby licked her under her chin, his tail wagging.

  Once again Nita’s eyes filled with tears, but this time they were tears of joy. When she looked at Dr. Larson, he was crying, too. The little dog, who just hours before had seemed totally unadoptable, was suddenly a loving companion. All it took was a word he recognized.

  Dr. Larson canceled the euthanasia order. The entire staff rejoiced.

  Kirby still had a major problem, however. Because he had recently bitten the two social workers, he could not be put out for adoption.

  Nita and Helen are foster parents for the Humane Society. They often take home dogs who need special care until they are ready to go into a permanent adoptive home. Nita and Helen decided to take Kirby home for a few days. They thought if they “fostered” Kirby for a while, it would help him regain his emotional health. If they could establish that Kirby was now unlikely to bite anyone, he might still be adoptable.

  When Nita and Helen brought Kirby home, their own dog, who weighed one hundred pounds, and their three cats paid little attention to the newcomer. They were used to foster animals coming and going.

  Kirby wasn’t scared of the big dog and he didn’t mind the cats. Whenever visitors came, Kirby barked, then wagged his tail when they greeted him. There was no growling and no snapping.

  Nita doesn’t know what prompted her that night to ask the little dog if he wanted to go for a walk. Habit? Intuition? Plain good luck? Whatever it was, she is thankful she said the magic word that released Kirby from his fear.

  A few days became a few weeks, and then a few months. By then, Nita and Helen loved Kirby far too much to ever give him up. They adopted him permanently. And no matter how busy Nita and Helen are, they take Kirby for a walk, every single day.

  Reminders from the Humane Society

  1.

  If all dogs were allowed to breed unrestricted, there would be fifteen dogs born for every human in America. As it is, more than seven million unwanted pets are euthanized in America each year. The surgery to spay or neuter your dog so he or she can’t produce puppies is a simple procedure. Spayed or neutered dogs are less likely to roam, and their chances of developing certain cancers and other diseases are reduced.

  2.

  Your dog needs access at all times to fresh water and shade.

  3.

  Loose dogs are often injured or stolen. They sometimes eat poisonous material such as antifreeze, or they get attacked by larger animals. Keep your dog safe by keeping him on a leash or in a fenced enclosure at all times.

  4.

  Never leave a dog in a parked car, even with the windows open a crack. On a hot day, the temperature inside the car can quickly reach 120 degrees and cause heatstroke, brain damage, and death.

  5.

  It is unsafe (and in many states illegal) to let a dog ride loose in the back of a pickup truck. Confine the dog to a crate that is secured to the truck bed or side.

  6.

  Always keep a seven-day supply of dry dog food and bottled water on hand. In case of emergency or natural disaster, your dog will have enough to eat and drink.

  Joey

  INTERNATIONAL SERVICE DOG

  Susan Duncan’s service dog, Joey, pulls out a dishrack from the dishwasher at Susan’s home. It is one of the many ordinary chores Joey does to help Susan, who has multiple sclerosis.

  4

  JOEY IS PART GERMAN SHEPHERD and part unknown. Both parts are huge. The woman who brought him to the Humane Society had found him running loose on a busy street so she knew nothing about his background. She kept him while she ran a “Found” ad in the paper and put up posters, but nobody claimed Joey.

  There was no evidence that he had ever been housebroken or given any kind of training, and he had not been neutered.

  Joey’s teeth provided the best clue to his age: they showed he was about three years old. Only one thing about him was known for sure—he had plenty of energy. He jumped, tugged on the leash, and tried to investigate everything in the room while the woman who had found him signed the surrender papers.

  A large, exuberant, untrained dog is not the first choice for most people who come looking for a companion animal. Joey’s chances for adoption seemed slight.

  Joey received the same care that all incoming dogs get. He was checked by a veterinarian, vaccinated, and sprayed for fleas. He was given a clean kennel and nourishing food while he waited for a new family. Occasionally, he was taken outside to the penned “Get Acquainted” area, where he raced wildly around.

  Joey had been at the Humane Society for thirty-eight days when Susan Duncan came to the shelter. Susan has multiple sclerosis, a nerve disease that causes increasing weakness. She has lost much of the use of her left side. Her beloved nine-year-old service dog, Casper, had died unexpectedly two days earlier.

  A service dog is any dog trained to perform tasks for a person with a disability. Some are guide dogs who help people with impaired vision; some are “hearing-ear” dogs who aid people with impaired hearing. Some do a variety of jobs for owners such as Susan.

  Susan knew that most service dogs are purebreds, trained by professional service-dog trainers. However, there was a waiting period of at least a year to receive such a dog. Susan didn’t want to give up a year or more of independence.

  She had found Casper at the Humane Society. He was the family pet until Susan fell one day and was unable to get up. Casper went to her, rolled her onto her right side, and then tugged on her sleeve, pulling her to a sitting position so she could lean on him while she got to her feet. He had never been taught to do this.

  Susan falls often. Until that day, she ha
d always had to wait until another person could help her get back up. From then on, she depended on Casper to help her. She decided to try to train him to assist her in other ways.

  She called a professional service-dog trainer for advice and was told she would not be able to train a dog herself. Undaunted, Susan read animal training books and began working with Casper, using simple commands and praising him when he did what she wanted. She taught him to hold doors open for her and pick up items she dropped. He learned to let her lean on him for balance as she got in and out of bed. He became her constant companion.

  Now Casper was gone, and Susan was trying to put aside her grief. She knew she needed a new dog, so once again she went to the Humane Society.

  She paused in front of Joey’s kennel and gazed at the large brown-and-black dog. One of his ears stuck out sideways and the other flopped forward. He seemed eager and alert, and he was tall enough that she could rest a hand on his shoulder when he stood beside her. Susan decided to take Joey into the Get Acquainted area.

  When she opened the kennel door to put a leash on him, Joey leaped up and placed his front paws on Susan’s shoulders. Susan staggered backwards, dropped her cane, and stepped in Joey’s water bowl.

  Joey wagged his tail. Susan realized that, on two legs, he was taller than she was, and he weighed more than she did. She wondered if this was such a good idea after all. She managed to get the leash on Joey and somehow kept her balance as he tugged her toward the door.

  In the Get Acquainted area, Joey chased a tennis ball while Susan debated. Could she successfully train such a big, energetic dog? Although she liked his playful personality, she decided to think it over.

  The next day Susan brought her husband and two daughters to meet Joey. As usual, he galloped wildly around the Get Acquainted pen, but he was careful not to bump into anyone, and he was gentle with the children.

  The family vote was unanimous: yes. Joey was neutered that same afternoon and went home with Susan the next day.

  His training started immediately. Susan began with the basics, teaching Joey not to jump on people, to come when called, to lie down and stay, and to heel. He seemed eager to please and learned quickly.

  Joey accepted wearing his service-dog pack right away. The pack is a sturdy red-and-black bag that fits over his back like a saddle. In it, Joey carries Susan’s wallet, his official service-dog identification, and anything else Susan needs to take with her. He also carries items she purchases.

  From the start, Joey went to Susan immediately when she fell and let her lean on him while she pulled herself upright. Now he also puts his snout under her chin and pushes her head up. If necessary, he rolls her from her weak left side to her stronger right side.

  Other tasks took longer to master. For each job, Susan gave a command and tried to show him what she wanted. When Joey did it right, she praised him. If he did something else, she repeated the command and showed him again until Joey caught on. Every time he obeyed she told him what a good dog he was. She practiced each job with him many times before going on to teach him a new skill.

  Now he tugs on her sleeves and pant legs to help her get her clothing on or off. He knows how to pull her socks off her feet and toss them into her lap. When the telephone rings, Joey lifts the receiver in his mouth and holds it until Susan can get there. He pulls cords to open cupboards, drawers, and the dishwasher.

  As a service dog, Joey is permitted in public places such as grocery stores, restaurants, movie theaters, and hotels. He has learned to ride an escalator and not to lick babies and small children, no matter how good they smell!

  Joey goes grocery shopping with Susan. If she needs an item from a shelf that’s too low for her to reach, she points to it and Joey gets it for her. He sometimes carries groceries to the checkout stand in his pack, and he brings them into the house when he and Susan get home.

  She often leans on him to keep her balance. He holds doors open. When she drops her cane, Joey picks it up. If he were not there, she would need to ask for help.

  Without Joey, Susan could not even go to the bathroom alone. He stands beside her so that she can keep her balance when she sits down. She grasps him to pull herself back to a standing position.

  Susan is able to go swimming at a club because Joey is there to help her get in and out of the pool. With Joey at her side, she volunteers at her daughters’ schools.

  People who are familiar with guide dogs for the blind or hearing-ear dogs for the deaf are often startled to realize that Susan can see and hear just fine. Since most service dogs are purebred German shepherds, golden retrievers, or Labrador retrievers, Joey’s obvious mixed heritage also creates interest. Susan is frequently stopped by strangers and asked to explain Joey’s background and purpose.

  Susan works from her home office as a nurse educator, planning courses for medical students. Because of Joey, she is able to attend meetings and give lectures that are important to her career.

  One day Susan was contacted by Chris Lehman, a woman who also has multiple sclerosis. Chris had a service dog trained by an organization, and she was curious to know how Susan had trained Joey herself. The two women met and talked while their dogs played together.

  Chris told Susan about the Delta Society, a nonprofit organization that promotes the human health benefits of animals. The Delta Society sponsors a national Service Dog of the Year Award. Chris nominated Joey for the award. When the Humane Society staff saw what an excellent service dog Joey had become, they also nominated him.

  Hundreds of fine service dogs from all over the country were nominated for this special honor.

  Joey won!

  The award was presented in New York City. Joey flew from Seattle to New York with Susan, sitting in the cabin of the airplane with her as is permitted by law for service dogs. He stayed with her at a fancy hotel where he shook hands with the doorman and charmed the staff.

  While in New York, Joey and Susan were interviewed by newspaper and television reporters, and Joey demonstrated some of his skills on national TV. CNN did a story about Joey and Susan which was picked up by several airlines for use as an informational public service feature.

  The news spread. An ordinary mutt from a shelter had been trained by a person with disabilities to do complicated tasks so well that he had won the Service Dog of the Year award. Thousands of people learned that an older, mixed-breed dog was capable of learning difficult jobs.

  Susan began volunteering with the Delta Society, answering calls about service dogs. Most calls were from disabled people who wanted information about these valuable animals, but many calls also came from business people who needed to know how to treat their customers who used a service dog.

  People with service dogs are often refused admittance to businesses because the people who work there do not know that service dogs are allowed, by law, to accompany their owners in public places.

  Susan is now coordinator of the Delta Society’s National Service Dog Center. This organization tells people how they can get a service dog, refers them to trainers, and teaches businesses how to accommodate people with service dogs. Its goal is to make more service dogs available and to educate the public so that service dogs are accepted. The Service Dog Center presently receives more than fourteen thousand inquiries each year.

  Susan also writes model service-dog policies for businesses and other organizations, such as the Washington State Department of Transportation.

  Before she became ill with multiple sclerosis, Susan worked as a registered nurse. Back then, even though she met many disabled people, she did not know about service dogs. Now she hopes to help educate as many people as possible.

  A year after Joey won his award, Susan was asked to give a presentation at the Delta Society’s international convention in Geneva, Switzerland. Once again, Joey boarded an airplane with his mistress, this time to fly across the Atlantic.

  As Susan stood outside a meeting room at the convention, she was approached by a Japanese woman
who asked, “Are you Susan Duncan?”

  When Susan said yes, the woman introduced herself as Dr. Takayanagi, a physician. “I saw you on television during my flight here from Japan,” she said.

  Dr. Takayanagi had seen the CNN clip from Joey’s New York visit, and she was excited to meet Susan in person. She told Susan that in Japan service dogs are too expensive for the average person. She hoped to change that, and she thought Susan could help.

  The doctor invited Susan and Joey to go to Japan so that Susan could give a series of talks about how she had trained Joey herself.

  Joey became the first service dog to travel to Japan. He wore a pack with “Service Dog” written on it in Japanese. He and Susan stayed two weeks and were the subject of a television documentary about how service dogs can help disabled people.

  Joey has also been to Spain, where he and Susan stayed in a small village right on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Medical professionals from throughout Spain gathered there to hear Susan speak. When she and Joey demonstrated all the things he does to assist her, even those in the audience who could not understand English knew exactly what Susan meant.

  Not all of Joey’s trips have been for business. He has also vacationed in Disney World with Susan and her family. There he had his picture taken wearing mouse ears!

  When Joey is at home, he often naps on his special pad on the living room floor. Like most well-loved family dogs, he enjoys frequent hugs and has many toys. He barks if a visitor rings the doorbell and stands protectively beside Susan when she opens the door. He sleeps next to her bed.

  When Susan went to the Humane Society looking for a potential service dog, Joey was untrained, unruly, and large. Thanks to Susan’s determination and to Joey’s intelligence and aptitude for service work, he is now a world traveler with an important job.

  About Service Dogs