KEARNEYSVILLE – Keep Going K9s, headquartered in Kearneysville, has a mission to “champion the unwavering spirit of our nation’s heroes, walking hand in leash towards a new dawn of hope and healing by uniting them with life-changing service dogs.” The organization trains dogs to serve as companions to veterans first responders and others in need of a canine to assist with any number of needs.
Officially opened as a 501c3 organization in 2023, Keep Going K9s helps provide a service for which there is a great need.
“In this area, there are not a lot of great outlets for vets as far as service dogs,” said trainer Chloe Anderson. “We want to fill the gap to give veterans what they need in a timely manner,” she continued.
Providing canine companions is at the heart of the organization, where service dogs are meticulously matched with veterans and first responders according to their needs. The dogs are trained in a variety of ways to provide the needed support for those suffering such things as PTSD, vision impairment and additional health-related issues. The training and education workshops provide both the dogs and their handlers with essential training in obedience and specialized tasks.
Anderson, who is vision-impaired, shared that her dog, Thumper, a Great Dane, is trained to protect her from potential dangers that she may not see including instances of crossing streets.
Thumper stands and blocks Anderson’s path so that she is stopped from making a wrong move.
The training process begins with puppies and can take from one to three years, depending upon the dog and the needs. Keep Going K9s provides the dogs to the veterans following a screening and interview process. Specific training is added if needed in addition to basic obedience and general training. All dogs and training come at no cost to the veteran.
Donations are encouraged to ensure that dogs are available for every veteran in need. To donate, one can visit the Keep Going K9 website at keepgoingk9s.org.
Currently Keep Going K9s is searching for volunteers to help in their organization in such areas as puppy raising or simply playing with the puppies. Volunteer opportunities are highlighted on the organization’s website where one can complete initial applications to serve.
“All our dogs love love,” Anderson said. “Basically, a lot of the volunteering is playing with puppies to socialize them,” she added. Volunteer roles in canine training, kennel care and administrative duties are also available.
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