AR-News: (US CA) Service dog trainers struggle to meet demand

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

By: WILLIAM FINN BENNETT - Staff Writer 
MENIFEE ---- As with many of the 65 or so organizations across the country 
that train service dogs to assist the disabled, Menifee's Canine Support Teams 
is swamped.

The demand for the animals, which take two years to train, is so great that 
the nonprofit organization has a two-year waiting list of disabled people 
awaiting their turn to receive a service dog, its founder Carol Roquemore said last 
week. 
To prevent the waiting list from growing even longer, she said she accepts 
applications only three months out of the year ---- between Jan. 1 and March 31.

"People would be waiting five or 10 years, if we didn't," Roquemore said.

"It's tremendously frustrating; I have people call me all the time who want 
and need a dog, but I can't even send them an application," said Roquemore, a 
polio victim who herself is wheelchair-bound and relies on her service dog, 
Marty, for many of her needs.










 
Service dog trainers struggle to 



Working with a wheelchair, Shara Butterworth practices with Pete, a golden 
retriever, during an exercise coming out of a van for the disabled. 
Steve Thornton 
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With Shara Butterworth watching, Pete opens a door at the Canine Support 
Team's grounds in Menifee. 
Steve Thornton 
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Visit our Photo Gallery











full story:

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2004/03/01/news/californian/2_29_0420_29_08.tx
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