All posts tagged service dog

Panel Discussion About Canine Companions For Independence

For this edition of “Talking Animals,” I altered the show’s usual format to convene an in-studio panel discussion about Canine Companions For Independence (CCI), pegged to CCI’s then-upcoming third annual DogFest Walk ‘n’ Roll event, on March 3 at Al Lopez Park in Tampa, and featuring three CCI-affiliated humans, and their canine companions: Read more…

Dr. Bonita Bergin, Pioneer in field of Service Dogs

Dr. Bonita Bergin–who in 1975 invented the concept of the service dog to assist people with mobility limitations, at which point she founded Canine Companions for Independence (CCI), the first non-profit organization to train and place service dogs–discusses where and how she got the inspiration for the service dog idea, including that, at this point, she had no background with dogs and how most friends and colleagues initially made it clear they thought this was a nutty notion. Read more…

Page Ulrey, an attorney and pioneer in the use of courthouse dogs

Page Ulrey–a senior deputy prosecuting attorney in Seattle’s King County–discusses the genesis of courthouse dogs, which are used to make children and others more comfortable when testifying or being interviewed about sexual assaults or other emotionally upsetting crimes: Based on experience with her son’s service dog, a colleague thought service dogs could provide comfort to children and others who are victims or witnesses of crimes, and this dovetailed with a period when Ulrey was ready to add a dog to her life. Read more…