Six puppies arriving in Wilmington to begin training as service dogs for veterans
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Six Labrador puppies will arrive in Wilmington on Friday, Nov. 13, to begin training for a future helping veterans through the nonprofit Canines for Service.
The puppies will arrive aboard the “Puppy Bus” at 9 a.m., delivered by Hero Labs, an organization that raises puppies and donates them to nonprofits that train service dogs.
Each of the six puppies will begin training at Canines for Service, with the goal of eventually being paired with a veteran in need of assistance.
Several businesses and community members who helped name the puppies are expected to attend Friday’s arrival and meet them for the first time.
Training to help veterans
Once their training is completed, the dogs are intended to be partnered with veterans living with service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma or mobility limitations.
The service dogs will be provided to eligible veterans free of charge.
“Every service dog begins as a puppy, and we’re so thankful to Hero Labradors for helping us take that first step,” said Sarah Kornegay, puppy program coordinator at Canines for Service.
“Their generosity allows us to continue providing life-changing service dogs to veterans, and we’re excited to see what the future holds for these six puppies.”
The puppies’ arrival marks the beginning of their training, rather than the completion of the process. Each dog will need to complete the organization’s training requirements before being matched with a veteran.
