CONCORD (WBZ) ? A veteran left paralyzed by a gunshot wound in Afghanistan is getting some much-needed help now that he’s back home, and it has a lot to do with a prisoner at the correctional center in Concord.
Two-year-old Antoine has a nose for old friends, like prison inmate Ed Chapman. He trained Antoine to be a service dog for Cpl. Tyler Wilson – a veteran wounded in Afghanistan.
Chapman is like a proud father. “He’s everything that I hoped he’d be,” Chapman said with tears in his eyes.
Antoine is one of many dogs trained by inmates. It’s a program called NEADS that was started in Massachusetts. So far, 90 have graduated and have gone on to help the disabled.
“It’s just a win-win situation for everybody,” said Sheila O’Brien of NEADS. “I mean, NEADS wins, because we get to place more dogs with disabled people. The inmates win, because they learn how to nurture. They learn how to give back.”
“His personality alone is enough to change anyone’s life,” said Cpl. Wilson about his new companion.
Not only has Antoine improved the life of Cpl. Wilson, but Antoine has changed Edward Chapman forever. “Because of him… He taught me to be a better father and a better person… I’m thankful for him. I am.”
One of the advantages of inmates training the dogs in prison is how quick the canines are trained. Before inmates became part of the NEADS program, there was a four year waiting list for a dog. That has been cut down to three months.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I had my apartment broken into in 2006 while I was sleeping. For 2 weeks I couldn’t sleep at all during the night. I had a knife on me all the time. In my apartment complex, dogs were not allowed, but all my nice neighbors at the time told me to get one. I did. And truly helped. I started to sleep more and more at night, and today I have no problems sleeping at all. I still have nightmares but that is about it.
Now, 2 years later, we have new management in the complex, new neighbors who weren’t there to see what happened, and I fear I might start having problems with the dog. Does my case qualifies for a service dog?
This is for Daniela, Yes this will qualifies your dog to be a service dog, This type of service dog is called Anxity Alert dog or Anxity Responds Dog. But before it becomes a service dog it needs to be trained as one.
Get a clicker book for dog training teach the dog everything in it. If it says a its a trick in the book its not a trick for service dogs.
You need to make sure your dog has all basic down and a clicker training class also. Here what your dog will have to learn.
When you have nightmares your service dog to be is to learn to turn on the lights in the bedroom, then come over to you and pull the blackets back and stand on its back legs and lick your face.
Then when you wake up pet the dog and thank the dog for doing the task at hand. You then get up and get a drink of water.
Go back to bed and read for a little bit or do a word search for 20 min.
Also the dog needs to learn all Hearing Dog tasks go online and look up task for hearing dog.
Go online to Pup’parel to order service dog vest and patches. Pass this word on to anybody that has this happen to them.
Also get the service dog law card from Pup’parel to care with you at all times. so if you do have any problems you can show the card to the person.
Let Lisa know Pami sent you to her website. Good Luck in training your dog to be a service dog.
Let me know how it goes.
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