Enhancing Independence
Canine Companions enhances the lives of children, adults and veterans with disabilities by providing expertly trained service dogs at no cost. Our dogs are trained to assist with daily tasks to provide independence and confidence. A student achieves their dreams of attending college. A veteran gets a good night's sleep. A patient can endure an additional procedure. Lives are transformed after being matched and working with a Canine Companions service dog.
Elizabeth Pode and Service Dog Edge
Elizabeth Pode is a career coach at Pepperdine Graziadio Business School and lives an independent, active life. She is always on-the-go between work, graduate school, traveling, social events and more. Elizabeth also lives with cerebral palsy, specifically spastic diplegia, which causes her to have extremely limited balance; she is not able to walk without assistance from her walker or with help from someone and often can fall or drop items she cannot pick up.
While Elizabeth was fairly independent before she was matched with Service Dog Edge, she always lived with a fear of being a situation where she would need to call for help or would be stranded and need to rely on a stranger passing by.
Elizabeth was matched with Edge at the Southwest Region’s Oceanside campus in August 2022. Service Dog Edge picks things up off the ground for Elizabeth, limiting the likelihood of a fall. He can also bring her walker back to her, eliminating situations of her being stranded and having to rely on a stranger to come by and help. Edge is trained in over 45 tasks that all assist with Elizabeth’s ability to maintain an independent lifestyle and give her the reassurance she needs to navigate through life without fear.
Elizabeth remarks, “I’m an outgoing and social person by nature, but Edge just takes it to the next level. As I make my way up in my career, I really feel like people are drawn to us as a team and he’s a great ambassador for people with disabilities. I also feel like when I’m alone, he’s wonderful insurance that I can remain independent. While my disability is not progressive, as I get older, my body acts differently based on wear and tear. I have gotten stiffer and have less strength and balance. Things that used to be easy are getting harder, so Edge is a great help in navigating my changing ability level.”
Canine Companions has placed more than 7,600 service dogs, but hundreds of people with disabilities are still waiting for their match. Your DogFest fundraising efforts support this important mission – get started today!
Learn more about Canine Companions at canine.org.
About Service Dogs
DogFest is a day to celebrate the joy that all dogs bring to our lives, whether working dogs or loving pets. But did you know that service dogs have different access rights and roles than pets do?
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service dogs are legally allowed to go almost anywhere with their handler, even where pets cannot. This means you may see them out and about in your community. Remember that they have a job to do. Often, handlers welcome questions and enjoy interacting with the public, but there are a few things to keep in mind.
Click here to learn more about Service Dog etiquette.
We encourage you to meet some of our Canine Companions clients and their service dogs at DogFest, and remember these important tips!
Register yourself and your pups for DogFest to receive your free bandana and join the fun!