Hand-Dogs is helping Tucsonans throughout pandemic

HANDI DOGS SAYS THE GOAL OFTHE ORGANIZATION IS TO HELPOLDER ADULTS AND THE DISABLEDTRAIN THEIR OWN DOGS TO BECOMESERVICE, THERAPY AND COMPANIONDOGS.

THE DOGS ARE TRAINED TOALERT OWNERS ABOUT "HEARINGALERT DIABETES ALERT, SEIZURERESPONSE," THE NON-PROFIT ALSOMODIFIED THEIR PROCEDURESBECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.INCLUDING A (FUR- TUAL FILMFESTIVAL TO SHOWCASE SUCESSSTORIES.

"WE FIGURED IT OUTHOW TO DO IT MASKED ANDSOCIALLY DISTANCED, OUTSIDEWHEN WE CAN, HAVING JUST A FEWPEOPLE IN OUR LARGE TRAINING LDISTANCING AND HAVING LESSPEOPLE IN OUR INDOOR TRAININGCENTER," AND MICHELLE FELLERIS ONE OF THOSE STORIES SHESAYS HER SERVICE DOG GINGER ISA SEIZURE ALERT DOG WHO ALSOHELPS MICHELLE'S FAMILYMEMBERS WHO ARE DIABETIC."DIABETIC ALERT DOGS CAN SNIFFA CHEMICAL CHANGE SOMETIMES ASMUCH AS 15 MINUTES BEFORE ASALIVA TEST.

SHE CAN GET MESOMEPLACE SAFE OR LET ME KNOWTHAT I NEED TO TAKEPREVENTATIVE MEDICINE," CATHYSCHOONOVER SIGNED UP WITH HERDOG COOPER--- AFTER SHE HAD ANACCIDENT AND AT HOME "MYDOCTOR SAID YOU NEED A SERVICEDOG TO HELP YOU BRACE AND GETUP AND THAT'S WHAT HE DOES.

HEBRACES FOR ME AND HE PICKS UPTHINGS THAT I CAN'T GET TO MYKNEES AND ANKLES ARE BOTH BADAND I CAN'T REACH DOWN AND GETTHINGS UP OFF THE GROUND,"ABOUT 20 TEAMS ARE CURRENTLYENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM.

ANDDOGS GO THROUGH A 1 YEAR TO 18MONTH CERTIFICATION ANDPERSONALITY PROCESS BEFOREGRADUATION.

OWNERS, VOLUNTEERSAND POTENTIAL SERVICE DOGS AREALWAYS NEEDED.

A FUNDRAISER ISSET FOR THE END OF THE MONTH."WE'D LOVE MORE FOLKS THATHAVE IMAGINED MAYBE THAT'SSOMETHING THAT THEY CAN DO TOCONTACT US,"