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Ever hear of GAP? Not the GAP that most people associate with a pair of jeans, but GAP: Guide Assistance Dog Partners, Inc.
GAP is a Colorado-based nonprofit that enriches the lives of disabled people by partnering them with highly skilled service dogs.
Shirley Granger from Pine, Col., has benefited from GAP since 2006. The organization partnered her with a skilled service dog, Mozart.
Shirley was having problems with being steady on her feet and standing once seated. Mozart, a yellow lab, would brace Shirley to help her stand and keep her balanced.
After 10 years, Mozart started showing signs of becoming weak in his back legs. Over the course of three months, he lost most of the function of his back legs due to nerve damage in his spine.
Shirley was faced with the decision of whether to put him down, which she did not want to do! When a specialist recommended a dog wheelchair, Mozart was outfitted with a donated Walkin’ Wheels cart.
Shirley and Mozart have enriched each other’s lives in many ways. It was a very sad day when Mozart passed away at age 11.
Shirley is now waiting for her next GAP dog, a lab puppy from a recent litter that will be trained by GAP as soon as it is old enough. This time, the puppy will also receive special training to be a guide dog, as Shirley is going blind from macular degeneration.
What a wonderful service this organization and its intelligent dogs provide! GAP dogs are skilled in a variety of behaviors, including the ability to respond promptly and accurately to verbal commands and physical cues. The dog must be able to ignore any distractions; training is intense and thorough.
In its 15 years of service, GAP has placed more than 100 service dogs. In addition, it has trained nearly 100 therapy dogs to help the public.
Service dogs have been placed with clients requiring individual and family support for mobility impairments, vision problems, hearing disorders, autism spectrum disorders, seizure disorders, diabetes, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety disorders. Wonderful cause, wonderful partnerships.
