Charles & WCC’s Garcia: Better Together

Each year during the first week of August, International Assistance Dogs Week recognizes the life-changing impact assistance dogs have on the people they serve. It’s also an opportunity to celebrate the organizations that work together to ensure those partnerships can thrive—no matter where life leads.

For Army Veteran Charles Lewis and his Warrior Canine Connection (WCC) service dog, Garcia, that global network proved invaluable after the pair relocated to Israel.

Following a life-changing medical diagnosis and several personal challenges, Charles was ready for a fresh start. Looking for a new beginning, he found a home in Israel, where Garcia has remained a constant source of support by his side.

Not long after their move, however, Israel updated its service dog regulations. Although Garcia was a fully trained service dog, Charles encountered businesses that denied them access under the country’s new requirements.

Rather than navigating the unfamiliar process alone, Charles turned to WCC for help.

WCC Veteran and Military Family Services Manager Dan Jones reached out to the Israel Guide Dog Center, an accredited member of Assistance Dogs International (ADI), to explain the situation and seek guidance. The response was immediate.

“This is exactly the spirit of ADI—organizations coming together to help one another and ensure teams like Charles and Garcia have the support they need,” said Jones. “The Israel Guide Dog Center was incredible. They responded quickly, welcomed Charles and Garcia into their program and helped make what could have been a complicated process feel seamless.”

The Israel Guide Dog Center sponsored the certification process at no cost to Charles, provided Garcia with the appropriate service dog vest and helped the WCC Veteran Service Dog Team complete the required public access testing.

For the Israel Guide Dog Center, supporting Charles and Garcia was a natural extension of the ADI community’s shared mission.

“As members of the ADI global community, we’re committed to supporting service dog teams wherever the need arises,” said Ami Toren, director of special needs, Israel Guide Dog Center. “When Daniel Jones and Warrior Canine Connection reached out about Charles and Garcia, helping was simply the right thing to do. Navigating a new country and unfamiliar regulations can be challenging, and we’re honored to provide support. We hope any team trained through an ADI member organization would receive the same compassionate assistance, and we’re grateful to WCC for making this connection possible.”

Jones said that working together really showcased the strength of this global community and the shared commitment the organizations have to the people and dogs they serve. For Charles, the experience was a powerful reminder that he and Garcia were not navigating this journey alone.

“Garcia and I have always been a team, and this process allowed us to continue that partnership in our new home,” Charles said. “The support we received from Warrior Canine Connection and the Israel Guide Dog Center showed me the power of the ADI community and how organizations around the world truly care about the Veterans and teams they serve.”

Today, Garcia continues supporting Charles while also helping introduce many Israelis to the broader role service dogs can play. While guide dogs are the most widely recognized assistance dogs in Israel, public awareness of service dogs remains relatively limited, and Garcia often sparks curiosity and meaningful conversations.

“I love when people ask why I have her,” Charles said. “It gives me the opportunity to share Garcia’s story and explain how service dogs can support people in different ways.

Charles’ experience is a reminder that the impact of assistance dogs extends far beyond the partnerships they form with their handlers. Through ADI’s worldwide network of accredited organizations, expertise, resources and support can cross borders, helping service dog teams overcome unexpected challenges wherever they are.

As WCC joins organizations around the world in celebrating International Assistance Dogs Week, stories like Charles and Garcia’s demonstrate the strength of a community committed to one shared mission: ensuring assistance dog teams have the support they need to live, work and thrive, both at home and around the globe.
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