News
Brigadoon Service Dogs - 4759 Mission Road, Bellingham, WA 98226
Non-profit Registration#: 27-0100385
Phone: 360.733.5388 Email: info@brigadoondogs.org
Changing Lives One Partnership at a Time!
Adoption News
If you have interest in possibly giving a forever home to a dog who doesn't make the service dog program, please click on this email link to indicate your interest should one come available.
We are trying to give rescue dogs a new lease on life whenever we can as there are many that have a lot to offer.. Since we don't often receive alot of information about them prior to beginning training, sometimes these dogs end up not making it through the training. We do not want to send any of these dogs back to a shelter, so finding them their forever homes is important. If you are interested in adding a new canine to your family, or fostering one until we find its forever home, please email us at the link above.
Brigadoon Barker Newsletters
2010
2011
Brigadoon Service Dogs
"Offering a Helping Paw!"
Practicing the correct position to ride on a bus.
Practicing taking stairs slowly at the pace of the handler.
Brigadoon Dogs practicing their tasks...
King 5 News featured an article about our Veteran Progam. Click on the link to see it. Please be patient while it downloads.
by OWEN LEI / KING 5 News
Bio | Email| Follow: @king5olei
KING5.com
Posted on October 2, 2011 at 2:52 PM
For Private First Class Jennifer Allen, the legacy of 10 ½ months in Iraq is post traumatic stress disorder.
She says the only reason she can cope is because of her 19-month-old boxer-lab mix, Linus.
"If I did not have him, I would not be here right now. I would probably be holed up in my room, still probably having anger issues,” she said.
Linus was among four dogs graduating Saturday as a Brigadoon Service Animal. All year, he trained at Joint Base Lewis McChord to be a Jennifer's constant companion.
"He wakes me up from my nightmares... and he keeps me calm when I'm driving,” she said.
According to Veteran's Affairs, more than 20 percent of men and women are now coming back from deployment with PTSD. More and more, these dogs aren't just recommended but prescribed as part of medical treatment."
"There is such a huge need of these veterans to get a dog," said Denise Costanten, Founder, Brigadoon Service Dogs.
Constanten says the effect of these friendships shows up clearly on soldier's faces.
"The anxiety fall away, confidence to go out in public again, confidence to live alone,” she said.
Because more important than any commands they've learned, these dogs are ever standing watch so soldiers like Jennifer Allen can finally stand down.
"Without him I would probably not be able to have a normal life,” she said.
Joint Base Lewis-McChord says it currently has 13 dogs on post certified as service animals for injured military and veterans with PTSD. The wait for a dog is one year.
