Canine Companions Assists Adults, Children With Disabilities

For Wallis, a pup named Mork certainly is her best friend. They are inseparable. Mork is Wallis’ service dog, helping Wallis help herself. Mork retrieves the phone and other dropped items, pulls the wheelchair and opens doors.

Mork is just one of hundreds of service dogs that have been placed with children, adults and veterans with disabilities across the country through Canine Companions for Independence. Many placements have occurred locally in Babylon, Bayport, Islip Terrace and Westbury.

“When Brad met Barney, I saw the life come back into his eyes,” said Brenda Johnson about her son Brad Johnson of Bayport. Barney is his canine companion.

“The service dogs create new opportunities and new possibilities for people that lead to increased independence and confidence,” said Debra Dougherty, executive director of Canine Companions. She is located at the organization’s northeast region training center, the Miller Family Campus at 286 Middle Island Road in Medford (631-561-0200).

Adults with disabilities, including wounded veterans and veterans with disabilities, are partnered with trained service or hearing dogs. The assistance dogs, with adult support, also perform physical tasks for children with a range of disabilities. Canine Companions’ service dogs are trained and partnered with working professionals in a health care, visitation, criminal justice or education setting.

2020 Saluting Independence

Each year on Veterans Day, Canine Companions features its “Saluting Independence” event that recognizes service men and women from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm and the War Against Terrorism. This year, the organization will feature a virtual program due to the limitations created by COVID-19. It will premiere on Veterans Day / November 11. Since 2011, Canine Companions’ Veterans Day salute has raised more than $500,000 to support the puppies/dogs programs for deserving veterans. Additional emphasis has been placed on fundraising this year to finance the organization's expansion of the program for veterans to include men and women with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Captain Victor Prato of East Marion will be honored at the ceremony along with his service dog Barbossa. Severely wounded in Afghanistan during 2017 when his vehicle was targeted by a suicide bomber, Captain Prato was presented with the Purple Heart by President Donald Trump at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

“I knew that a perfect fit for me would be to get a dog that could be my companion and be with me as I navigate the world now,” said Captain Prato. “Barbossa is my rock.”

Captain Prato was wounded when he served under 4-Star General John “Mick” Nicholson, the recipient of Canine Companions’ 2020 Outstanding Service Award. At the time, General Nicholson was commander of Resolute Support and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan. Presently, he is president of the PenFed Foundation that empowers military service members, veterans and their communities with the skills and resources to realize financial stability and opportunity.

As Captain Prato was training to receive his service dog, he and General Nicholson enjoyed an unexpected reunion. The general is a Canine Companions volunteer puppy raiser. He now is raising WestPoint, a future veteran companion.

“As we draw closer to Veterans Day and celebrate the service that America’s men and women have dedicated to the country,” concluded Dougherty, “this also is a time to champion the companions that assist the veterans who have returned with combat injuries and need a little extra support in their lives.”

Hofstra Alums Support Organization

Canine Companions for Independence is supported by many people across Long Island and throughout the region, including Colonel E. David Woycik, Jr. (Ret.), United States Army. Woycik was raised in Huntington and resides in Garden City. He is a senior trial partner concentrating on personal injury, construction, highway design and toxic torts at Sanders, Sanders Block, Woycik, Viener & Grossman, P.C. of Mineola.

Woycik joined the board of directors of Canine Companion’s northeast region during 2010. Since then, he has actively supported the organization in deeds, financially and with fundraising. Most recently, a double figure donation was presented to Canine Companions in his honor by friend and fellow Hofstra University alumni James C. Metzger, owner of the Whitmore Agency of Garden City that provides insurance and estate planning. Metzger is well-known across Long Island for his business services along with extensive support of athletic, education and other community programs.

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Mike Virgintino is the author of Freedomland U.S.A.: The Definitive History, the story about America's theme park located in The Bronx. Published by Theme Park Press, it can be found on Amazon, eBay, Goodreads and other retailers.