My Nonprofit Reviews

My husband is a severely disabled veteran and a client of PawPADs. He sustained significant brain damage that has left him paralyzed on his left side, unable to care for himself, and with a seizure disorder. Because of these issues, my husband requires full-time care and supervision. There is no way to sugar-coat the losses he and our family have suffered. It's hard, draining, and, at times, very ugly. The realities of war live with us every day and no aspect of our lives goea unaffected.

PawPADs came into our lives at a time when I was feeling extreme fatigue and doubt as a caregiver. Our local veteran community referred us to PawPADs and our lives haven't been the same since. Despite years long waits for a service dog at other organizations, PawPADs was able to get my husband into their training camp within just weeks of us starting the application process. The staff IMMEDIATELY made us feel like part of the PawPADs family and of something very special. Since Ranger was placed with my husband, our family has changed in ways I never imagined possible. Because of the supervision and assistance Ranger can provide, my role has been scaled back. For the first time since his injury, I've been able to leave my husband home alone and know that he's safe. I've been able to let him go out into the community on his own and know that Ranger is beside him to help him. I've seen Ranger in action and know that if my husband falls, Ranger can either help him up or he can go get help (both of which he's done on multiple occasions). I don't think we've ever gone somewhere (and we go a lot of places) without getting comments on Ranger's remarkable demeanor, his impressive obedience, his obvious intelligence, and his instantly loveable personality. He's truly a remarkable dog but PawPADs turned him into an invaluable companion.

Without Ranger, my husband wouldn't have the independence he has today. Neither would I. Ranger adds a level of safety and security to our lives that I am immensely grateful for. He is my husband's safety net and my peace of mind. I cannot imagine our family without him or where we would be if he didn't come into our lives. Thanks to PawPADs and to Ranger, I get to spend more time being a wife instead of being a caregiver. There are no sufficient words to thank PawPADs for giving back to us some of what war took.