Huge donation to service dog program

Asista Foundation to Provide Service Dogs of Canadian Veterans with Trupanion Medical Coverage.

Trupanion and Asista Foundation partner to relieve Veterans from financial burden of veterinary care.

SEATTLE, Sept. 19, 2016 /CNW/ -- Trupanion, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRUP), a leading provider of medical insurance for cats and dogs, announced today its partnership with the Asista Foundation, a nonprofit that trains and provides certified service dogs to individuals with autism, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and psychological needs.

The Quebec-based Asista Foundation is launching a pilot program with the Government of Canada Department, Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) to standardize the provision of service dogs to Canadian Veterans in need. The service dogs are provided to Veterans at no cost and under this new partnership, Asista will also be providing each dog with a lifelong Trupanion pet medical insurance policy.

The Asista Foundation stresses that peace of mind for their clients is a top priority and by providing a Trupanion policy, the financial burden that Veterans can face when it comes to providing veterinary care is removed, guaranteeing that hard-working service dogs receive the best health care available.

"Our Veterans give so much for our freedom and it's an honour to be able to give back by helping them through their journey towards mental freedom," said Asista's Founder and Director of Public Affairs, John Agionicolaitis.

With the Trupanion medical insurance policy, service dogs will be covered for health care costs such as diagnostic tests, surgeries, medications, and for the things most likely to impact pet health (congenital and hereditary conditions) among others.

In addition to providing health coverage, Asista's partnership with Trupanion will include a dedicated Contact Center team to assist those within the program and training sessions to better inform the Asista Foundation about pet health insurance in order for the team to educate their clients about the new benefit option. Trupanion will also track enrollments, claims data and conditions covered to provide Asista with a comprehensive report showing the value the program is providing Veterans.

Trupanion strongly believes in the impact of the human-pet bond making this partnership with Asista Foundation a natural fit.

"Service Dogs make a life-changing impact on Veterans who are in need of them, and our teams across the business are excited and ready to support them through our medical insurance program," said Trupanion CEO, Darryl Rawlings.

For more information about Trupanion, please visit http://trupanion.com/canada or call at 855.210.8749.

About Trupanion
Trupanion is a leading provider of medical insurance for cats and dogs throughout Canada and the United States. For almost two decades, Trupanion has given pet owners peace of mind so they can focus on their pet's recovery, not financial stress. Trupanion is committed to providing pet owners with the highest value in pet medical insurance. Trupanion is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol "TRUP". The company was founded in Vancouver BC, Canada in 2000 and is headquartered in Seattle, WA. Trupanion policies are issued, in the United States, by its wholly-owned insurance entity American Pet Insurance Company and, in Canada, by Omega General Insurance Company. For more information please visit Trupanion.com.

About the Asista Foundation
For more than 20 years, dogs have been providing social and emotional support, helping people feel relaxed, happy and secure. Pet therapy has been known to reduce cardiovascular stress. In addition, it creates an optimal healing environment that promotes harmony of mind, body and spirit. Asista has been devoting its energy and time for more than 3 years to specifically make a difference in the autism, PTSD and the psychological community by supplying certified service dogs on a short and long term basis. Please contact ASISTA.ca for more information.

http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/asista-foundation-to-provide-service-dogs-of-canadian-veterans-with-trupanion-medical-coverage-593964061.html

The number may certainly be higher, but 8 Saskatchewan veterans are eligible for service dogs to better their lives after their military service.

The Paws for Veterans Gala on Jun. 3 at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #28 in Humboldt will help raise funds for these veterans to gain access to much needed service dogs.

Since the end of the Afghanistan mission, in Canada, 54 veterans of Afghanistan have taken their own lives, according to a Globe and Mail investigation done in late 2015.

“These dogs are specially trained, they’re not pets and cost about $10,000,” says Andy McAnally, co-organizer of the event.

Service dogs have done wonders for veterans. McAnally recalls one story of a veteran who was not able to leave his house before receiving a service dog.

But there are some requirements.

Veterans have to be able to care for the animal, says McAnally, and “in some cases, that might not be able to happen because of their condition.”

For soldiers, they are trained to hide their emotions so problems with mental illness in veterans are not an easy thing to spot, says McAnally.

“A lot of the symptoms of PTSD; high anxiety, depression, flashbacks, it’s not like a physical illness where you can see the person has scars, it’s a mental illness.”

The dogs are worth their weight in gold, says McAnally.

This is a project that is close to McAnally’s heart since he is a veteran himself and served in the military for 12 years.

“It’s something that’s been on my mind for several years since the men and women came back from Afghanistan,” says McAnally.

Through Sherry and Don Hogemann, the Royal Canadian Legion and Paws for Veterans, McAnally is very happy to be able to bring this fundraiser to Humboldt.

Money raised will go towards Saskatchewan veterans, says McAnally.

Tickets are available until May 31 at Scotiabank, who will match the money raised by tickets sold at their location but McAnally says they may be able to accommodate ticket sales made after that day.

Entertainment will be provided by Carey Dolan and the Horse’s Mouth.

http://www.humboldtjournal.ca/news/local-news/help-needed-to-give-paws-to-veterans-1.2265594

Wounded Warriors Canada and National Service Dogs Introduce NSD Ortona to Edmonton Garrison

TORONTO, April 27, 2016 /CNW/ - National Service Dogs (NSD) and Wounded Warriors Canada (WWC) are proud to introduce NSD Ortona. At just 12 weeks he is already showing the temperament, trainability and personality sought in PTSD and Autism Service Dogs. Ortona began puppy classes with NSD's trainers at 8 weeks and next week he will be flying to Edmonton where he will be matched with his new NSD Puppy Raiser, Capt. Donna Riguidel. For the next sixteen months the Riguidel family will be teaching him all of his basic obedience skills and socializing him to the different environments he will encounter in his working life. Paired with a serving member of the Canadian Armed Forces, Ortona will be included in all dog-safe activities on the base, like a furry new recruit, and will serve as a service dog ambassador to both uniformed and civilian members.

Celebrating 20 years of service to families across Canada, National Service Dogs is proud to be the only Assistance Dog International (ADI) Accredited Training Centre in Canada providing PTSD Service Dogs to ill and injured Canadian Veterans and First Responders.

Phil Ralph, National Program Director for Wounded Warriors Canada, commented, "We are proud of our partnership with National Service Dogs. As an ADI accredited training centre, we recognize the importance of ensuring our ill and injured Veterans and First Responders receive a service dog that is trained to provincial standards. We look forward to watching Ortona grow and, eventually, providing a life-changing service to an ill and injured Veteran or First Responder."

According to NSD Executive Director, Danielle Forbes, "National Service Dogs has always embraced a spirit of innovation and collaboration and is proud to partner with Wounded Warriors Canada on the expansion of this rapidly emerging area of service dog work. It is a very exciting time within the service dog field and together with Wounded Warriors Canada we are empowering veterans and expanding their potential through the life-changing power of Certified Service Dogs."

At eighteen months of age Ortona will return to NSD's Ontario Training Centre to begin his advanced service dog training and from there will be matched with a client and his journey will begin in earnest. Each NSD certified service dog represents a 10 year commitment for National Service Dogs, encompassing the initial dog training as well as in-depth client training, annual client follow ups and regular re-certification testing. Each National Service Dog is valued at $30,000, but provided at no charge to approved clients. This is made possible through national funding partners like Wounded Warriors Canada.

All of Ortona's adventures will be detailed and shared online through Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. These accounts will be live at the beginning of June and will be shared with the media and the public at a media event on the base in early June.

NSD Ortona and his support team are available for interviews and photo opportunities.

Background Information:

NSD Ortona was sponsored and named by Wounded Warriors Canada and is part of NSD's "O" litter of puppies born on February 8, 2016. He is a Labrador mix. National Service Dogs (CRA# 898029228 RR0001 – accredited by Imagine Canada) and Wounded Warriors Canada (CRA# 82808-2727-RR0001) are both registered Canadian charities.

What's In A Name??

The Battle of Ortona, Italy, Dec 20-28 1943

For the Canadians, Ortona was the bloodiest battle of the Italian Campaign to date. Canadian and German troops clash daily, in bitter, house-to-house fighting. Snipers, booby traps and land mines were a constant threat as every building gained brought about a terrible cost in blood. The capture of Ortona, known to those who fought it as the "Italian Stalingrad", is considered among Canada's greatest victories during the war.

SOURCE Wounded Warriors Canada

Image with caption: "NSD Ortona (CNW Group/Wounded Warriors Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160427_C6751_PHOTO_EN_676010.jpg


For further information: National Service Dogs, Danielle Forbes, 519 239 9808, dani@nsd.on.ca, www.nsd.on.ca; Wounded Warriors Canada, Scott Maxwell, 1-888-706-4808, scott@woundedwarriors.ca, www.woundedwarriors.ca

http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/wounded-warriors-canada-and-national-service-dogs-introduce-nsd-ortona-to-edmonton-garrison-577246221.html

Thank you Royal Canadian Legion of BC/Yukon.
Pets especially dogs are great treatment for those who need it.
I have a dog 🐶 and it keeps me in the right now and not the past.
It's a mutual companionship

The Royal Canadian Legion BC/Yukon Command has donated $60,000 to the Vancouver Island Compassion Dog Service ( http://vicompassiondogs.ca/.) This program certifies service dogs for Veterans with PTSD. I am being trained along side my dog to become a certified handler. I know we all have different opinions about the Legion but this donation is huge and is double what they donated last year. Thanks to the RCL BC/Yukon Command.