Photo by Ray LaVoie
Phil Heit and Vincenzo
Every issue of Healthy New Albany Magazine piques my curiosity. While it’s my role to review each submission for content accuracy, grammar, relevance to the community and many other editorial details, I always look forward to reading about the many varied and interesting happenings taking place in our amazing community that serve to reinforce my view of how special New Albany is. Each issue, every article and the unique personal experiences that I read about further makes me aware that we live in a community replete with a diverse litany of offerings that often go unnoticed.
When I read Maisie Fitzmaurice’s article, Pawsitive Influences, I thought about one of our community’s gems, Canine Companions. New Albany is one of only six sites in the country to be home to this special organization. Fortunate to spend a short period of time with one of Canine Companions’ residents, a four-legged friend named Vincenzo, his presence helped me experience a sense of calmness that neutralized my worries about what I had to complete before day’s end.
While Fitzmaurice’s article shared how Canine Companions serves others, I did not realize that there are a number of other programs and services it provides. At the core of Canine Companions’ mission is raising and training service dogs – and matching them free of charge with children and adults who have disabilities. Canine Companions dogs, like Vincenzo, are trained in over 45 tasks, like turning on light switches, opening doors and retrieving dropped items from the floor. With a service dog by their side, clients are able to increase their sense of independence. The organization also trains facility dogs, who live at home with their handlers and go to work to perform official tasks in settings like hospitals, schools and court settings. In recent years, they have expanded their reach to serve veteran clients, and have also started a therapy dog program, certifying Canine Companions – dogs who don’t become service dogs – to provide comfort in therapeutic settings alongside their owners.
Canine Companions is proud to be part of the New Albany community, and they are always eager to welcome new visitors and volunteers to their campus. I myself enjoy attending their quarterly graduation ceremonies, which are free and open to the community. If you do attend, remember to bring tissues to wipe your tears as you witness the trainers who have spent 18 months working with their dogs give them up to their new owners, a touching experience.
