Press Releases Archives - Warrior Canine Connection

Warrior Canine Connection Partners with University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine to Bring Therapeutic Service Dog Training Program to Veterans on Campus

November 8, 2022/0 Comments/in Press Releases /by WCC Comms

Program Made Possible Thanks to Funding from Team Foster

BOYDS, Maryland – The Perelman School of Medicine and its Veterans Care Excellence Program (VCEP) at the University of Pennsylvania is going to the dogs. Starting this month, Warrior Canine Connection (WCC), a nonprofit that breeds, trains and places highly skilled service dogs with Service Members and Veterans with physical and psychological trauma, will provide an on-site service dog training program for Penn Veteran students, staff and those served by the university.

The program will utilize WCC’s Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) training model, in which Veterans learn how to train service dogs for their fellow Warriors. The program fulfills a time-honored military tradition of Warriors helping Warriors, and in doing so, Veterans can also benefit from their own skills development in communication, confidence building, accountability, emotional regulation and patience.

The new program is made possible thanks to a generous $100,000 gift from Team Foster, a local Philadelphia-based Veteran support organization dedicated to serving disabled Veterans through community support, Veteran peers and highly trained service dogs.

“Fueled by the support of Team Foster, we are honored to partner with an educational institution of Penn’s distinction,” said Rick Yount, founder and executive director, Warrior Canine Connection. “To have a program like this accessible on campus is incredible—as it will allow Veteran students and staff to more actively engage and benefit from the program, while helping to serve other Veterans by helping to meet the incredible need for service dogs.”

VCEP at Penn established a formalized structure to guide the existing and continued growth and development of Penn Medicine’s programs and services for Veterans in an effort to create a streamlined and supportive culture of care. The program oversees the recruiting, training and success-building of Veteran employees at the health system and ensures Veteran patients served by Penn receive optimum care. In addition, the VCEP program helps streamline the process of navigating health care benefits with those from Veteran Affairs.

“The Veteran Care Excellence Program at Penn Medicine and the Penn Veteran Collaborative Consortium program is honored to partner with Warrior Canine Connection and Team Foster,” said Paula Crawford-Gamble, RN, MSN, CAPT, NC, USN (Ret), Veterans Care Excellence Liaison, Penn. “Together we are excited to help our service members in need reconnect with life, their families, their communities, and each other through this innovative program.’” Crawford-Gamble has a service dog of her own from WCC, named Dollie.

“Team Foster has partnered with service dog organizations across the region for years; this is a long-overdue opportunity to bring a reputable, best-in-class partner to the Philadelphia area,” said Nick Liermann, founder and executive director, Team Foster. “Service dogs literally save
lives. Partnering with Warrior Canine Connection and Penn provides Philadelphia-area Veterans access to these amazing animals—something our area desperately needs.”

The program officially launched in October and is located on Penn’s campus. A WCC service dog training instructor, along with five service dogs in training, are already based at the location.
The program is actively seeking Puppy Parents, volunteers who help raise and train the service dogs in training for up to the first two years of their lives.

Veterans interested in learning more about the program can email mbtr@warriorcanineconnection.org or visit warriorcanineconnection.org.

For more information, please contact Beth Bourgeois, Warrior Canine Connection, at beth.bourgeois@warriorcanineconnection.org or 719-216-3206.

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About Warrior Canine Connection
Warrior Canine Connection is a pioneering organization that utilizes a Mission Based Trauma Recovery model to empower returning combat Veterans who have sustained physical and psychological wounds while in service to our country. Based on the concept of Warriors helping Warriors, WCC’s therapeutic service dog training program is designed to mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other challenges, while giving injured combat Veterans a sense of purpose, and help in reintegrating back into their families and communities. For more information, visit www.warriorcanineconnection.org.

About Team Foster
Team Foster fights for the unmet needs of injured and disabled Veterans by bringing together civilians, Veterans and highly trained service dogs.
We do this by:
·Helping Veterans obtain highly trained service dogs they need at no cost;
·Providing grants for the unmet needs of Veterans and their service dog;
·Ensuring Veteran service dogs receive the highest quality training;
·Promoting awareness of service-related PTSD and TBI and advocating for the long-term needs of our Veterans.
Learn more at www.teamfoster.org.

Wounded Warrior Project Honored with 2022 Wag of the Tail Award from Warrior Canine Connection

October 19, 2022/0 Comments/in Press Releases /by WCC Comms

Award Presentation Made During WCC’s 2022 Graduation

BOYDS, Maryland – Warrior Canine Connection (WCC), a nonprofit that breeds, trains, and places highly-skilled service dogs with Service Members and Veterans with physical and psychological wounds, announced Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) as a Wag of the Tail Award recipient during its 2022 graduation ceremony. All Wag of the Tail Award honorees exemplify and share WCC’s No-Fail Mission and commitment to supporting our nation’s Veterans.

Wounded Warrior Project has supported WCC’s mission since 2020, helping to propel its unique animal-assisted therapy program to new sites across the country. Thanks to WWP’s support, in 2021, WCC was able to provide 526 wounded Veterans with 4,000 hours of programming.

“Being a Veteran-focused organization, we couldn’t ask for a better partner than Wounded Warrior Project as Veterans are at the core of both our missions, and their success is aligned with our own,” said Rick Yount, founder, and executive director, of Warrior Canine Connection. “Wounded Warrior Project’s partnership, investment in our organization, and ability to provide critically important support to our nation’s Warriors has been nothing short of amazing. I look forward to our continued partnership and working together to impact more Veterans’ lives through the therapeutic power of four legs and a wet nose.”

WWP began in 2003 and has since served the growing needs of wounded, injured, and ill post-9/11 veterans, their families, and caregivers through free programs and services. The organization provides free services in mental health, physical health, career counseling, long-term rehabilitative care, and advocacy. WWP’s continued support of WCC and other nonprofit partners has made a significant difference in expanding and transforming the life-changing resources and programs available to America’s wounded Veterans.

Two additional 2022 Wag of the Tail Awards were presented during the commencement ceremony; John Shooshan, the founder of The Shooshan Company, which specializes in property management, development, acquisition, and engineering services, was also acknowledged for his support of the Veteran community. Mission BBQ and its founders, Rosemarie and Bill Kraus, were also honored for their generous support of WCC, not only by providing delicious meals but also through their volunteerism to the organization and leadership support.

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Media contact:
Beth Bourgeois
Warrior Canine Connection
beth.bourgeois@warriorcanineconnection.org
719-216-3206

Largest Class of Veterans and Service Dogs Set to Graduate as part of Warrior Canine Connection’s Class of 2022

September 20, 2022/0 Comments/in Press Releases /by WCC Comms

Ceremony Highlighted during National Service Dog Month Observance

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 20, 2022

BOYDS, Maryland – Saturday, September 24^th promises a paw-sitively exciting event, as Veterans and their newly paired service dogs will graduate as part of Warrior Canine Connection’s class of 2022—its largest class to date. While the commencement ceremony will take place virtually at 11 am on WCC’s Facebook page, the nonprofit will host an in-person celebration at its Healing Quarters in Boyds, Md. immediately following the online event.

The virtual ceremony will be marked by powerful Veteran journey video vignettes, namesake stories, and keynote remarks from Governor Larry Hogan, who has a strong record of providing support for Veterans resources and benefits.

Members of this year’s graduating class, including Veteran Service Dog Teams, will attend the celebration, as well as those from previous graduations. In addition, puppy parents, who have helped train the dogs, as well as several namesake families who have a personal connection to dogs named after them or a loved one, will also be in attendance.

Graduating service dogs will have completed WCC’s intensive, Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) training conducted by Warriors in recovery who learn to train mobility service dogs for fellow Warriors as a means of addressing their own symptoms of combat stress.

Media is invited to attend this event. The graduation celebration promises plenty of great b-roll opportunities, as well as interviews with Veterans and their new service dogs, past graduates and WCC staff.

Media interested in attending are asked to RSVP to Beth Bourgeois, WCC, at 719-216-3206 or beth.bourgeois@warriorcanineconnection.org .

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About Warrior Canine Connection
Warrior Canine Connection is a pioneering organization that utilizes a Mission Based Trauma Recovery model to empower returning combat Veterans who have sustained physical and psychological wounds while in service to our country. Based on the concept of Warriors helping Warriors, WCC’s therapeutic service dog training program is designed to mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other challenges, while giving injured combat Veterans a sense of purpose, and help in reintegrating back into their families and communities. For more information, visit www.warriorcanineconnection.org.

Warrior Canine Connection Receives Grant Funding from TD Charitable Foundation

August 4, 2022/0 Comments/in Press Releases /by WCC Comms

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BOYDS, Md. – Warrior Canine Connection was recently awarded $10,000 in grant funding from TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, in support of its Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) program.

“We are extremely fortunate to have continued support from the TD Charitable Foundation,” said Rick Yount, founder and executive director, Warrior Canine Connection. “This grant funding will go directly toward WCC’s Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) training program, which helps Veterans in recovery train service dogs for their fellow Warriors. We appreciate the TD Charitable Foundation’s generous assistance and commitment to expanding this innovative intervention to more Veterans in our communities.”

MBTR programming is unique from other service dog organizations in that the organization enlists Service Members and Veterans who are in recovery to help train the dogs for their fellow Warriors. Anchored in performing a military support mission, the participants in WCC’s MBTR program concurrently benefit from the program while serving others. Program participants receive therapeutic benefit from skills development in communication, confidence building, accountability, emotional regulation and patience to promote an act of service.

“The Mission Based Trauma Recovery program gives participating Service Members the opportunity to build critical life skills while also ensuring their fellow Veterans have the service companions they need. The support from the TD Charitable Foundation demonstrates our commitment to helping build a better future by creating opportunities, increasing resources and assisting to meet the critical needs of our Veteran and Service Member Community,” said Dave Hargadon, Regional Vice President for the Mid-South Metro (Calverton, Md.).

For more information, please contact Beth Bourgeois, Warrior Canine Connection, at beth.bourgeois@warriorcanineconnection.org or 719-216-3206.

About Warrior Canine Connection
Warrior Canine Connection is a pioneering organization that utilizes a Mission Based Trauma Recovery model to empower returning combat Veterans who have sustained physical and psychological wounds while in service to our country. Based on the concept of Warriors helping Warriors, WCC’s therapeutic service dog training program is designed to mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other challenges, while giving injured combat Veterans a sense of purpose, and help in reintegrating back into their families and communities. For more information, visit www.warriorcanineconnection.org.

About the TD Charitable Foundation
The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, one of the 10 largest commercial banking organizations in the United States. Since its inception in 2002, the Foundation has distributed over $282 million through donations to local nonprofits from Maine to Florida. More information on the TD Charitable Foundation is available at https://www.tdbank.com/corporate-responsibility/the-ready-commitment/funding-opportunities/.

Warrior Canine Connection Awarded 2022 Grant by the Healthcare Initiative Foundation

May 10, 2022/0 Comments/in Press Releases /by WCC Comms

Grant Funding to Support WCC’s Mission Based Trauma Recovery Program

BOYDS, Md. – Warrior Canine Connection (WCC) is a recipient of one of 34 Healthcare Initiative Foundation (HIF) FY22 Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants, which focus on supporting Montgomery County, Maryland-based organizations that provide high-quality, comprehensive, and sustainable health and wellness services in the area. This year’s grant marks the seventh year in a row that HIF has supported WCC’s programming with funding totaling $73,000 for its programs and services to support the health and wellness of Montgomery County’s most vulnerable Veterans.

“HIF is a recognized leader in Montgomery County that’s doing great things to help local nonprofits, Warrior Canine Connection included,” said Rick Yount, founder and executive director, WCC. “We are so privileged to have HIF’s continued support to help provide funding for Veterans who can benefit from our Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) training program.”

The MBTR model harnesses the healing power of the Warrior Ethos and the human-animal bond to reduce symptoms of combat trauma whereby patients with combat stress train dogs to assist other Veterans with invisible and/or physical wounds. The model provides recovering combat Veterans with a sense of purpose while they are recovering and is designed to remediate their symptoms of combat stress, such as isolation, emotional numbness, and re-experiencing.

“HIF is honored to continue its partnership with Warrior Canine Connection. To have a nationally recognized program located in Montgomery County that has developed and implemented cutting-edge trauma programming to serve our nation’s veterans and their families is humbling. WCC is a committed community partner, too. The Foundation is excited that WCC is continuing its partnership with the Cohen Veterans Clinic at EasterSeals to provide high-caliber recovery programming for veterans and their families. We look forward to all that we will accomplish together,” Crystal Townsend, president and CEO of Healthcare Initiative Foundation.

The Healthcare Initiative Foundation (HIF) invested a total of $1.02M to a total of 34 nonprofits serving Montgomery County, Maryland residents through its FY22 Nonprofit Capacity Building Grant Cycle. This year’s recipients are projected to serve more than 121,800 Montgomery County residents through: Healthcare Access and Behavioral Health Services, Food Security and Hub Distribution Centers, Healthcare Workforce Education, and Nonprofit Capacity Building.

For more information, please contact Beth Bourgeois, Warrior Canine Connection, at beth.bourgeois@warriorcanineconnection.org or 719-216-3206.

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About Warrior Canine Connection
Warrior Canine Connection is a pioneering organization that utilizes a Mission Based Trauma Recovery model to empower returning combat Veterans who have sustained physical and psychological wounds while in service to our country. Based on the concept of Warriors helping Warriors, WCC’s therapeutic service dog training program is designed to mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other challenges, while giving injured combat Veterans a sense of purpose, help in reintegrating back into their families and communities, and a potential career path as a service dog trainer. For more information, visit www.warriorcanineconnection.org.

About the Healthcare Initiative Foundation
The Foundation’s mission is to support organizations that offer solutions to improve the quality and delivery of health and wellness services for residents of Montgomery County, Maryland. HIF envisions a Montgomery County where residents are served by an equitable, high quality, comprehensive, cost-effective, and sustainable healthcare system To learn more, please visit: http://www.hifmc.org and like HIF on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/hifmc.

Assistance Dogs International Press Release: Research shows assistance dogs reduce symptoms and boost wellbeing among Veterans with PTSD

April 14, 2022/0 Comments/in Press Releases /by WCC Comms

April 14, 2022 – Military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) benefit from reduced symptoms and enhanced trauma treatments when they partner with assistance dogs and help with their training, according to a new review of evidence-based studies.

Seven scientific studies, published in peer-reviewed journals, found that assistance dog training and partnering produced “moderate-to-significant” lowering of PTSD symptom scores in line with those reported in gold-standard trials of trauma interventions supported by the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

The studies, carried out over the past five years, looked at a range of programs, from partnering veterans with fully-trained assistance dogs to teaching veterans how to train assistance dogs. All seven studies found reduced PTSD symptoms after participants completed service dog handling instruction. Two others, which used follow-up measures, found long-term reduction in symptoms.

“Assistance dogs improve the lives of countless thousands of veterans around the world by helping with practical tasks, enhancing independence, and boosting wellbeing, dignity and confidence,” said Chris Diefenthaler, Executive Director of Assistance Dogs International (ADI). “These studies indicate that properly trained assistance dogs are both life-saving and life-changing for veterans suffering from PTSD. They are proof that assistance dogs have a major role to play in the treatment, rehabilitation and support of military veterans with severe combat trauma.”

A total of eleven assistance dog programs across the US – including eight accredited by ADI – participated in the studies, which were carried out by behavioral scientists, military psychologists, public health experts and social workers. Researchers reported that “veterans benefit significantly from dog ownership in combination with a structured dog training program. Not only do they experience significant decreases in stress and post-traumatic stress symptoms but also they experience less isolation and self-judgment while also experiencing significant improvements in self-compassion.”

One study found “a statistically significant decrease in PTSD and depression symptoms…participants reported significant reductions in anger and improvement in perceived social support and quality of life.” In another study, researchers working with veterans being treated for chronic severe combat trauma used eye-tracking technology to measure the psychological effect of training a young assistance dog. The more time veterans spent in close contact with the dog, the less time they spent looking at threatening imagery and they paid more attention to “pleasant” images.

In four studies that utilized control groups, symptoms of the assistance dog participants reduced more than those of the control group, and few improvements were found in the treatment-only comparison groups.

“The scientific evidence is conclusive,” said Rick Yount, Founder and Executive Director of ADI member Warrior Canine Connection. “These seven scientific examinations provide the long-awaited evidence that assistance dogs are both popular and effective at reducing trauma symptoms and improving the quality of life for our veterans. They also indicate that partnering with an assistant dog can enhance the perception of standard trauma treatment. PTSD is projected to remain a chronic and debilitating condition for thousands of veterans. It is imperative that assistance dogs for veterans with PTSD be fully integrated into military and veteran trauma care.”

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Notes for editors
About Assistance Dogs International (ADI)
Assistance Dogs International is the world’s leading standards-setter and accreditation body for training assistance dogs. As a worldwide coalition of nearly 150 non-profit member organizations spread across five continents, ADI is the world’s most diverse and inclusive assistance dog certification and standard-setting body. For more information visit https://assistancedogsinternational.org

The seven peer-reviewed studies covered by the review are:
Bergen-Cico, D., Smith, Y., Wolford, K., Gooley, C., Hannon, K., Woodruff, R., … Gump, B. (2018). Dog Ownership and Training Reduces Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms and Increases Self-Compassion Among Veterans: Results of a Longitudinal Control Study. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 24(12), 1166–1175. http://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2018.0179

O’Haire, M.E. and K.E. Rodriguez (2018). Preliminary efficacy of service dogs as a complementary treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder in a population of military veterans. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Vol. 28, No. 2. 179-188. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5788288/

Whitworth, J.D., Scotland-Coogan, D., & Wharton, T., (April, 2019) Service dog training programs for veterans with PTSD: results of a pilot controlled study, Soc. Work Health Care, vol. 58, no. 4, pp. 412–430. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30875483/

Woodward, S. H., Jamison, A. L., Gala, S., & Holmes, T. H. (2017). Canine companionship is associated with modification of attentional bias in post traumatic stress disorder. PLoS ONE, 12(10), e0179912. http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0179912

Kloep, M., Hunter, R., & Kertz, S. (2017). Examining the Effects of a Novel Training Program and Use of Psychiatric Service Dogs for Military-Related PTSD and Associated Symptoms. Am J Orthopsychiatry, 87(4), 425–433. http://doi.org/10.1037/ort0000254

Preetha A. Abraham, Josh B. Kazman, Joshua A. Bonner, Meg D. Olmert, Rick A. Yount & Patricia A. Deuster (2021) Effects of training service dogs on service members with PTSD: A pilot-feasibility randomized study with mixed methods, Military Psychology, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08995605.2021.1984126

Yarborough, B. J. H, Owen-Smith, A. A., Stumbo, S. P., Yarborough, M. T., Perrin, N.A., & Green, C. A. (Jul. 2017) An Observational Study of Service Dogs for Veterans With Post traumatic Stress Disorder, Psychiatry. Serv., vol. 68, no. 7, pp. 730–734. https://ps.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ps.201500383

The ADI accredited programs involved are:
K9s For Warriors www.K9sforwarriors.org
Paws For Purple Hearts www.pawsforpurplehearts.org
Warrior Canine Connection www.warriorcanineconnection.org
Paws Assisting Veterans (PAVE) www.paveusa.org
Joys of Living Assistance Dogs (JLAD) https://www.joydogs.org
Bergin University of Canine Studies www.berginu.edu
Paws for People www.paws4people.org
Clear Paths for Veterans http://www.clearpath4vets.com (candidate program)

For further information and to arrange interviews, please contact:
Martin Atkin
Communications Consultant, Assistance Dogs International
martin@assistancedogsinternational.org

Beth Bourgeois
Media Relations Officer, Warrior Canine Connection
beth.bourgeois@warriorcanineconnection.org

Warrior Canine Connection Receives Mission-Critical Equipment Grant from Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation

February 10, 2022/0 Comments/in Press Releases /by WCC Comms

Boyds, Md. – With the new year in full swing, Warrior Canine Connection (WCC) is now better equipped to keep the community of Boyds safe thanks to a grant from Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. The $50,000 grant will be used to purchase a much-needed transportation vehicle for service dogs.

“We want to extend our gratitude to Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation and our local Firehouse Subs in Germantown for providing us with this grant,” said Rick Yount, founder and executive director, Warrior Canine Connection. “The transportation vehicle will be used to bring our mission-critical programming to our service dogs in training and allow our partner organizations to attend training and educational events in Boyds.”

WCC’s Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) program is unique from other service dog organizations in that the organization enlists Service Members and Veterans who are in recovery to help train the dogs for their fellow Warriors. Anchored in performing a military support mission, the participants in WCC’s MBTR program concurrently benefit from the program while serving others. Program participants receive therapeutic benefits from skills development in communication, confidence building, accountability, emotional regulation, and patience to promote an act of service.

Providing its MBTR program at locations across multiple states, the majority of WCC’s MBTR sessions require the transport of dogs. Currently, WCC can only transport two to three service dogs in training at a time due to the small vehicles owned by the organization. With 86 dogs currently in the two-year training pipeline, and an estimated 30 additional dogs joining the program in the coming months, it is essential for WCC to have the ability to transport multiple dogs at a time.

This year, WCC is seeing programming levels returning to pre-pandemic levels. In 2021, WCC provided more hours of MBTR service than ever before in its history — logging 3,897 hours of MBTR sessions to Veterans and is on track to break organizational records for service delivery again this year. Currently, it is estimated that one dog can impact as many as 60 different Veterans. However, as our organization grows and our population of dogs in training increases, the transportation capacity must also increase.

For the past 16 years, donations have been the driving force behind Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation® supporting first responders and public safety organizations nationwide. During the most recent grant cycle, the Foundation awarded 127 grants to public safety organizations across the country. The 127 grants totaling nearly $3 million were given to organizations in need of critical lifesaving equipment and resources.

For more information, please contact Beth Bourgeois, Warrior Canine Connection at beth.bourgeois@warriorcanineconnection.org or 719-216-3206.

To donate and learn more about Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, visit FirehouseSubsFoundation.org.

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About Warrior Canine Connection
Warrior Canine Connection is a pioneering organization that utilizes a Mission Based Trauma Recovery model to empower returning combat Veterans who have sustained physical and psychological wounds while in service to our country. Based on the concept of Warriors helping Warriors, WCC’s therapeutic service dog training program is designed to mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other challenges, while giving injured combat Veterans a sense of purpose, and help in reintegrating back into their families and communities. For more information, visit www.warriorcanineconnection.org.  

About Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation
In 2005, the Firehouse Subs founders established the 501(c)(3), non-profit Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. The charity provides lifesaving equipment, prevention education, scholarships and continued education, and disaster relief for first responders and public safety organizations, as well as support for members of the military. Since inception, Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation has awarded more than $65 million to hometown heroes in 49 states and Puerto Rico.

Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation is honored to be listed as a four-star nonprofit organization, the highest designation, by Charity Navigator. Charity Navigator is the nation’s largest and most-utilized evaluator of charities. Grant allocations are made possible thanks to the overwhelming support of Firehouse Subs restaurants and generous donors. More than 70% of the funds raised for the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation come from the generosity of Firehouse Subs guests and the restaurant brand. Please consider supporting a Firehouse Subs restaurant near you! To donate and learn more about Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, visit FirehouseSubsFoundation.org.

Statement from Warrior Canine Connection on President Biden Signing PAWS Act into Law

August 26, 2021/0 Comments/in Press Releases /by WCC Comms

New legislation modeled after Warrior Canine Connection’s Mission Based Trauma Recovery Service Dog Training Model

August 26, 2021

BOYDS, Md. – In July 2008, Warrior Canine Connection Executive Director and Founder Rick Yount piloted the first Therapeutic Service Dog Training Program for Veterans at the Palo Alto VA Medical Center’s inpatient PTSD program. The testimonies from the Veterans in Rick’s program inspired lawmakers so powerfully to the degree that they asked Yount and Veterans Affairs to help draft the original language for what would become the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act. After many challenges and 13-years later, on August 25, 2021, President Biden signed the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act into law.

Under the new law, the Department of Veterans Affairs will launch a five-year pilot program that provides service dog training to benefit Veterans diagnosed with PTSD. In addition to expanding Yount’s therapeutic service dog training model to five VA hospitals around the country, it is the first law that authorizes the VA to provide support for Veterans who utilize service dogs to help them mitigate their psychological injuries.

Rick Yount, Warrior Canine Connection, issued the following statement after yesterday’s signing.

“Thank you to the leadership at the Palo Alto VA, especially Recreation Therapy Services for its forward-thinking and willingness to explore a new way of caring for hospitalized Veterans,” said Rick Yount, executive director and founder, Warrior Canine Connection. “They put their faith in me, allowing me to bring four Golden Retrievers on a daily basis into a very intense clinical setting at their Menlo Park Trauma Recovery Program. This legislation has been a long time coming, and it validates the Mission Based Trauma Recovery training model that Warrior Canine Connection created to help our Warriors in recovery. Furthermore, it underscores the importance and power of the human-animal bond and will provide significant support and resources for Veterans who can benefit from their relationship with man’s best friend.”

The five-year pilot program will take effect on January 1, 2022.

Please direct any media inquiries to Beth Bourgeois, Warrior Canine Connection, at beth.bourgeois@warriorcanineconnection.org or 719-216-3206.

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About Warrior Canine Connection
Warrior Canine Connection is a pioneering organization that utilizes a Mission Based Trauma Recovery model to empower returning combat Veterans who have sustained physical and psychological wounds while in service to our country. Based on the concept of Warriors helping Warriors, WCC’s therapeutic service dog training program is designed to mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other challenges, while giving injured combat Veterans a sense of purpose, and help in reintegrating back into their families and communities. For more information, visit www.warriorcanineconnection.org.

Warrior Canine Connection to Celebrate Largest Class of Veteran Service Dog Teams with Virtual Commencement Ceremony

August 25, 2021/0 Comments/in Press Releases /by WCC Comms

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 25, 2021

BOYDS, Maryland – Warrior Canine Connection will celebrate its 2021 Veteran Service Dog Team Graduation, its largest class to date, with a virtual commencement ceremony on Saturday, September 25. Family, friends, and WCC supporters can watch the program on WCC’s Facebook page.

The ceremony will feature a keynote address from Senator Elizabeth Dole, video introductions and announcements of each Veteran Service Dog Team, awards, and much more. The commencement ceremony will also pay honor to each of the namesake families; all WCC’s dogs are named after Veterans, both past and present.

“Honoring our graduates through our annual commencement ceremony is one of WCC’s most important traditions,” said Rick Yount, founder and executive director, WCC. “Our staff, Veterans’ families, puppy parents, sponsors, volunteers, and so many others will share in the ceremonial “passing of the leash,” which signifies the official start of these powerful, life-changing, human-animal relationships.”

All the graduating service dogs will have completed WCC’s intensive, Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) training conducted by Warriors in recovery who learn to train mobility service dogs for fellow Warriors as a means of addressing their own symptoms of combat stress.

Pending changes in COVID-19 restrictions or guidelines, WCC will host an in-person, outdoor celebration at 12:30 p.m. at its Healing Quarters in Boyds, Maryland. Many of this year’s graduates, puppy parents, and volunteers will be in attendance.

Media interested in attending are asked to RSVP to Beth Bourgeois, WCC, at 719-216-3206 or beth.bourgeois@warriorcanineconnection.org

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About Warrior Canine Connection
Warrior Canine Connection is a pioneering organization that utilizes a Mission Based Trauma Recovery model to empower returning combat Veterans who have sustained physical and psychological wounds while in service to our country. Based on the concept of Warriors helping Warriors, WCC’s therapeutic service dog training program is designed to mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other challenges, while giving injured combat Veterans a sense of purpose, and help in reintegrating back into their families and communities. For more information, visit www.warriorcanineconnection.org.

Warrior Canine Connection Achieves Accreditation by Assistance Dogs International

July 28, 2021/0 Comments/in Press Releases /by WCC Comms

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 28, 2021

Boyds, Md. – Warrior Canine Connection, a nonprofit dedicated to breeding, training and placing highly skilled service dogs for Service Members and Veterans with visible and hidden wounds, is pleased to announce that it has achieved its 5-year reaccreditation by Assistance Dogs International (ADI). ADI is the leading authority in the Assistance Dogs industry. It establishes and promotes standards of excellence in all areas of assistance dog acquisition, training and partnership.

“Assistance Dogs International is the global authority on assistance dogs, and we are immensely proud to have received the organization’s renewed stamp of approval,” said Rick Yount, founder and executive director. “We are proud to breed, train and place highly specialized service dogs with Veterans in need. We are thankful for ADI’s leadership and commitment to ensuring high standards throughout the service dog industry; they are providing a powerful impact on Veterans and many others who benefit from the love, companionship and assistance from service dogs.”

Warrior Canine Connection uses a Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) training model that harnesses the healing power of the Warrior Ethos and the human-animal bond to reduce symptoms of combat trauma whereby Warriors with combat stress train the dogs to assist another Veteran with visible and/or invisible wounds. The model provides recovering combat Veterans with a sense of purpose while they are recovering and is designed to remediate their symptoms of combat stress, such as isolation, emotional numbness and re-experiencing. Each dog can positively impact up to 60 Veterans during the training process.

To date, WCC has placed a total of 94 assistance dogs with Warriors and military families. Another cadre of service dogs, WCC’s largest class since its inception, will be paired with their forever Veterans and will graduate together this September.

Once accredited, a program becomes a member of ADI. Member programs must complete a reaccreditation every five years to comply with ADI’s Standards of Practice. ADI accreditation is a peer-review process conducted by a trained ADI assessor over a period of 2-4 days. Currently there are 136 ADI accredited service dog programs in the world.

For more information, please contact Beth Bourgeois, Warrior Canine Connection, at beth.bourgeois@warriorcanineconnection.org.

About Warrior Canine Connection
Warrior Canine Connection is a pioneering organization that utilizes a Mission Based Trauma Recovery model to empower returning combat Veterans who have sustained physical and psychological wounds while in service to our country. Based on the concept of Warriors helping Warriors, WCC’s therapeutic service dog training program is designed to mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other challenges, while giving injured combat Veterans a sense of purpose, and help in reintegrating back into their families and communities. For more information, visit www.warriorcanineconnection.org.

About Assistance Dogs International
Assistance Dogs International (ADI) is a worldwide coalition of non-profit organizations that raise, train and place assistance dogs. The objectives of Assistance Dogs International are to:

Establish and promote standards of excellence in all areas of assistance dog acquisition, training and partnership
●Facilitate communication and learning among member programs
●Educate the public to the benefits of Assistance Dogs and ADI membership.

For more information, visit www.assistancedogsinternational.org.

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