Press: Hannibal Courier-Post
November 12, 2016
reporter Trevor McDonald
reporter Trevor McDonald
Betty Jean and Sydney
A chance encounter at a St. Louis veterinarian clinic changed the life of a New London breeder of Golden Retrievers, with the promise of changing the lives of many returning military veterans.
Betty Jean Clark, of Mystic Ridge Goldens in New London, Missouri met with representatives from This Able Veteran, an Illinois-based non-profit organization dedicated to training select puppies as service dogs to change the life for veterans with anxiety, nightmares, post-traumatic stress disorder and other symptoms. Clark said friends in Texas and Nebraska have since donated puppies from her dogs’ bloodlines to the program, where each puppy’s training lasts between 12 and 18 months before they meet their prescreened veteran and lifelong friend.
Clark said the dogs can interrupt a nightmare and offer comfort for a veteran who is experiencing anxiety symptoms. Each puppy is trained specifically for the veteran they will assist, as each situation is different for each veteran.
And the training process starts early — Clark has been keeping Cindy (Sydney*), a Golden Retriever who will someday have puppies for the This Able Veteran Program, calm and relaxed in preparation for the big moment.
“I’m going to be over-the-moon excited,” Clark said. “I’m making sure to start the puppy protocol when they’re born.”
The 501(c)(3) This Able Veteran program accepts donations to help with the specialized training, food and other expenses of the process. Puppies that meet training requirements are also welcome. For more information, please email servicedog@thisableveteran.org or call (618) 964-1162. For Clark, being involved in this program has been a source of joy with the prospect of improving the quality of life for our veterans — and working to stop an alarming statistic, that 22 veterans take their own lives every day.
“I am very excited, and I feel like this is a privilege to be able to do this,” Clark said. “It’s going to take a lot of work, more than normal. It feels like the work is worth doing.”
Betty Jean Clark, of Mystic Ridge Goldens in New London, Missouri met with representatives from This Able Veteran, an Illinois-based non-profit organization dedicated to training select puppies as service dogs to change the life for veterans with anxiety, nightmares, post-traumatic stress disorder and other symptoms. Clark said friends in Texas and Nebraska have since donated puppies from her dogs’ bloodlines to the program, where each puppy’s training lasts between 12 and 18 months before they meet their prescreened veteran and lifelong friend.
Clark said the dogs can interrupt a nightmare and offer comfort for a veteran who is experiencing anxiety symptoms. Each puppy is trained specifically for the veteran they will assist, as each situation is different for each veteran.
And the training process starts early — Clark has been keeping Cindy (Sydney*), a Golden Retriever who will someday have puppies for the This Able Veteran Program, calm and relaxed in preparation for the big moment.
“I’m going to be over-the-moon excited,” Clark said. “I’m making sure to start the puppy protocol when they’re born.”
The 501(c)(3) This Able Veteran program accepts donations to help with the specialized training, food and other expenses of the process. Puppies that meet training requirements are also welcome. For more information, please email servicedog@thisableveteran.org or call (618) 964-1162. For Clark, being involved in this program has been a source of joy with the prospect of improving the quality of life for our veterans — and working to stop an alarming statistic, that 22 veterans take their own lives every day.
“I am very excited, and I feel like this is a privilege to be able to do this,” Clark said. “It’s going to take a lot of work, more than normal. It feels like the work is worth doing.”
* The reporter simply misunderstood BJ's dog's name and it was printed as 'Cindy.' Bj's beautiful female (above photo) is Sydney.
