Thanks to the efforts of many Borderland residents, Labrador retriever pups “Kooch” and “Voyager” will some day assist active or military disabled veterans.
The Borderland community raised more than $7,000 to name and sponsor the two dogs that will be trained to assist veterans through America’s VetDogs/Guide Dog Foundation.
Sponsoring the dogs was the dream of Hugh Kirkpatrick, who last year was provided a service dog, “Toby,” through the program. Kirkpatrick was so moved by how the dog has impacted his life that he wanted to share the experience with other veterans.
Kirkpatrick teamed with Kathy Sikkila, Koochiching County Veterans Service Officer, and Terry Randolph, commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2948, to raise funds needed to sponsor the dogs.
“It’s unbelievable — an incredible feeling,” said Kirkpatrick Monday of the community’s fundraising efforts. Kirkpatrick and Toby have become ambassadors of sort for the VetDogs program. At Veteran Administration hospital appointments every month, Kirkpatrick, with Toby at his side, talk to other vets about how they may apply for a dog and how the dog may change their lives.
And, Kirkpatrick says, “I tell everyone what this community has done.”
Fundraising efforts included class projects and anonymous contributions. Kirkpatrick, and Kathy Genovese, America’s VetDogs/Guide Dog Foundation director of corporate gifts, said they were especially pleased by Cindy Hasbargen’s second-grade class at Littlefork-Big Falls School. The class surpassed its $25 goal by raising $174, and challenged the rest of the school, raising a total of $450 toward the $6,500 goal to sponsor the dogs.
The two Labrador retriever pups sponsored by the community were named by community suggestions and voting by contributors, according to Genovese.
“Thanks to you, the community of Koochiching County, Kooch and Voyager, your two sponsored puppies, will arrive at their new home at Old Colony Correctional Institution on Feb. 1,” said Genovese.
Old Colony-Bridgewater is a medium-security correctional facility for male offenders that has a puppy prison program.
Genovese said Kooch and Voyager will arrive at Old Colony when they are 8 weeks old and will remain at there for about 14 months. They live with inmates during the week and receive intensive training targeted for the puppies to become service dogs for wounded veterans. Each handler will be given homework and tasks that they are to work on each week. After the 14 months, the two pups will return to the foundation for formal training.
Socializing the dog is the main component of the inmate puppy raiser’s task — socialization is what helps the dogs become confident, according to Genovese.
“Confidence is an important trait for a working dog to have, but it is not hereditary, it is the one trait that can not be bred into dogs,” she said. “During the day, in addition to socialization, the inmate provides basic obedience training and the pups accompany their handler everywhere she goes, such as the laundry, the gym, dining area, etc.”
On the weekends, volunteer puppy raisers take the dogs from the facility to expose them to a variety of other situations that they can’t get in prison, such as hearing the doorbell, walking on a crowded street or how to ride in a car.
“It is vital for our puppies to spend most of their time with humans,” said Genovese. “The more exposed the dogs get to the sights, sounds, and smells of the ‘real world,’ the more familiar and confident they become, and the better for their future careers as guide or service dogs.”
While the inmates are working to raise a dog that will assist a veteran, they, too, benefit from the program, said Genovese.
“By helping inmates to see raising a service dog as giving back to society in a much bigger way than serving time, it teaches them to think of others and their needs,” she said. “Being aware of the needs of others — that even in prison you can do something to give back to society — and in the process learn responsibility for the care of another life is tantamount to becoming a productive citizen, perhaps for the first time,” she said.
Genovese said she isn’t surprised that Kirkpatrick stepped up to help his fellow veterans. She noted that his family’s military history dates back to the American Revolution and his daughter and son-in-law are serving as combat medics stationed at Fort Mead.
“So if you see Hugh in town, be sure to say hello, but don’t pet Toby, he will most likely be working,” she said. “They have done an outstanding job. Hugh, thank you for your service to our country.”
And Genovese thanked the community for its efforts.
“Because of you, Kooch and Voyager are on their way to becoming our hero’s heroes, giving (veterans) freedom they would not otherwise have,” she said.
