Guest
blog post by Stacy Tarkowski. Stacy and her family are puppy raisers, raising
SSD Ellie. They’re walking in the Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community to
support Susquehanna Service Dogs. Want to join them and #WalkforSSD, too? Sign up online to join the walk.
Though I was born and raised in Central PA, I've been out of
the region for almost 20 years. Shortly after I returned home to PA, I was
introduced to Susquehanna Service Dogs through a friend who'd gone to work with
the organization. I've always been an avid animal lover and, in the background
of my mind, I was aware of the existence of service animals but had never given
much thought to them before learning about SSD.
The more I learned about this organization, the more I began
to admire what it does. Susquehanna Service Dogs asks volunteers to raise their
puppies and attend classes to train the pups, teaching them loose-leash
walking, several basic cues and good house manners. At around 18 months old,
the dogs leave their raisers during the week and attend advanced training where
they work one-on- one with professional trainers to prepare for life as working
dogs. Once they're ready, the dogs are
placed in many different environments: providing
confidence to a child with autism, supporting a soldier suffering from PTSD, or
simply providing companionship to someone in need. The brilliance of these
animals - combined with the dedication and support of the SSD community - make
Susquehanna Service Dogs an amazing organization and one I am proud to
volunteer for.
My family started puppy sitting for SSD after we lost our beloved
family dog to bone cancer. Through much pleading and convincing from my
17-year-old daughter, Emma, we recently decided to become puppy raisers. Emma
is a high school senior, deciding whether to go to school for veterinary
sciences and one day open her own clinic or going to school for animal
psychology and working somewhere fun like SeaWorld, training their dolphins and
whales. In either journey, volunteer opportunities like raising a service dog
are great experiences for her - and for us!
Emma and I are raising SSD Ellie (with very much support
from my husband and 14-year-old son), a female yellow lab born in December
2014. Ellie is full of energy and takes much of ours. But the energy she brings
into our house is positive, happy energy and she has taught us so much as we
work on teaching her to become a working dog. It's tough work, but it's
rewarding work. I love seeing how excited Emma gets when SSD Ellie has mastered
a cue! Few things I've done as a parent have provided as much of a lesson in
responsibility and accountability as raising this puppy. I'm very grateful Emma
convinced us to do it because it's deeply rewarding.
That's why I'm walking for Susquehanna Service Dogs in the
upcoming Highmark Walk. I'm walking because my family believes in SSD and what
they do for others. I'm walking because we're raising SSD Ellie and she's
teaching us as much as we're teaching her. Now, if you'll excuse me, SSD Ellie
and I still have to work on her loose-leash walking. The Highmark walk will be
here soon!
Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community
Event Details
When
Saturday,
May 16
On-site
registration starts at 7:45 a.m.
5K Walk
begins at 9 a.m.
One-Mile
Fun Walk begins at 9:15 a.m.
Where
Harrisburg
Area Community College
1 HACC
Drive
Harrisburg,
PA 17110
Registration
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