Hunter and Melody agreed that they don’t know where they would be without Wyoming. After their family dog died about six years ago, they began exploring the possibility of getting a service dog and learned about CCI.

After submitting an application and completing a face-to-face interview, they were placed on a waiting list for five years. Melody said they coped with the long wait through the support of friends, family and co-workers. They understood that raising and training these dogs is no easy feat, and only four out of 10 dogs actually make it through the program.

Hunter said Wyoming was well worth the wait. She has already made a huge difference in his life—both physically and emotionally—and the two share a very special bond. She also has made it easier to interact with people in public. When they go out, Wyoming serves as an ice-breaker and takes the focus off Hunter’s disability.

“All eyes are no longer on me when we go out in public,” Hunter said. “They are on the dog.”

Debra MacKenzie, senior director of development at CCI, explained that the organization breeds all of its assistance dogs. Volunteer puppy raisers across the country take care of the dogs and teach them basic commands from the time they are about 8 weeks old until they are about 16 to 18 months old.