I MEET SHERRY & SHE MEETS ROCCO
|
The cost for training a dog like Rocco would be around $25,000. Rocco was rescued, then donated by a non profit animal rescue, Noah's Ark Bayou Sanctuary to Sherry Govella of Pearland, Texas.
|
THE DOG WHO MADE HISTORY IN BRAZORIA COUNTY Rocco was once a stray. He was rescued, rehabilitated, and trained in 2010 to be a Service Dog for a local paraplegic woman, Sherry Govella who is wheelchair bound. He was publicly recognized in Brazoria County as the first rehabilitated+rescued stray to be trained as a Service Dog and then to be donated at no charge to a Brazoria County resident. Sherry and her family live in Pearland. |
I was distracted and couldn't focus on anything he was saying. My husband and I had gone out to lunch after a long goose chase to find some kind of tool he needed. I wasn't listening because I was busy watching a young woman in a wheelchair catty corner from us. The thing captivating my attention wasn't her chair. It was the positive energy flowing around their table. She was accompanied by several teen aged girls, and they laughed as they chatted casually with one another.
My mind was whirling because I thought I might be able to help this lady. I walked over to their table and knelt beside her so we could be eye to eye. I introduced myself and she said her name was Sherry. I told her a little about what I had in mind then I asked her if she thought she would benefit from a Service Dog. I told her the dog would be free of charge. She hesitated. Then she said the last thing I ever expected to hear. She said she felt she didn't deserve a Service Dog. Didn't deserve a Service Dog? Why not?
She said she was capable of doing what she needed to do and she would rather someone else more deserving get it. We exchanged phone numbers and said we would talk more later.
Talk we did. It turned out Sherry had a fear she was hiding that made her say yes to the dog. She was afraid of dropping her van keys and not being able to improvise something to pick them up quickly enough in hot weather. She was not only vulnerable to criminals who could harm her, she was also vulnerable to our Texas sun. The heat in Texas can and does kill, but it could kill faster in Sherry's case.
Sherry explained her internal thermometer didn't work so she couldn't sweat. Sweating is the body's way of cooling down. If she was alone and dropped her van keys after locking the house, there would be no one around to pick them up for her. She would have to improvise a way to do it quickly before the heat got her. In the meantime, what if the battery to her chair failed? What if she couldn't find something to fish the keys up to her hands? The what ifs were haunting her. Sherry was afraid her protective husband would take her van keys away if he happened to start thinking along the same lines. If he did, she would be isolated.
Sherry didn't want to be isolated. Being in a wheelchair is a huge barrier to begin with. Add being paralyzed from the waist down. Now throw in having frozen fingers on both her hands. Her hands were almost frozen into fists. I felt Sherry needed a Service Dog. Liking her made volunteering my services so much more rewarding. I liked her.
Before training began, it only made sense to see if Rocco had any underlying health problems. Thanks to the support of local veterinarians who donated their services to NABS, Rocco was pronounced healthy! Once we got the go ahead from the doctors, we were ready to start training.
He began in kindergarten. Once he finished high school, it was time to bring Sherry in as part of the team. She needed to participate in the rest of Rocco's training so she could catch up to Rocco. It takes repeating verbal commands over and over, time and time again until you don't have to stop and think about a command, it just comes natural.
It takes longer to train a dog and a human when there's a wheelchair involved. We had to work around the chair. Sherry had to develop confidence and become a pack leader. Once she mastered those basic things, I wanted her to participate in the fun and in the frustration of training a dog to pick up keys or anything else she dropped or told him to bring and place in her lap.
My mind was whirling because I thought I might be able to help this lady. I walked over to their table and knelt beside her so we could be eye to eye. I introduced myself and she said her name was Sherry. I told her a little about what I had in mind then I asked her if she thought she would benefit from a Service Dog. I told her the dog would be free of charge. She hesitated. Then she said the last thing I ever expected to hear. She said she felt she didn't deserve a Service Dog. Didn't deserve a Service Dog? Why not?
She said she was capable of doing what she needed to do and she would rather someone else more deserving get it. We exchanged phone numbers and said we would talk more later.
Talk we did. It turned out Sherry had a fear she was hiding that made her say yes to the dog. She was afraid of dropping her van keys and not being able to improvise something to pick them up quickly enough in hot weather. She was not only vulnerable to criminals who could harm her, she was also vulnerable to our Texas sun. The heat in Texas can and does kill, but it could kill faster in Sherry's case.
Sherry explained her internal thermometer didn't work so she couldn't sweat. Sweating is the body's way of cooling down. If she was alone and dropped her van keys after locking the house, there would be no one around to pick them up for her. She would have to improvise a way to do it quickly before the heat got her. In the meantime, what if the battery to her chair failed? What if she couldn't find something to fish the keys up to her hands? The what ifs were haunting her. Sherry was afraid her protective husband would take her van keys away if he happened to start thinking along the same lines. If he did, she would be isolated.
Sherry didn't want to be isolated. Being in a wheelchair is a huge barrier to begin with. Add being paralyzed from the waist down. Now throw in having frozen fingers on both her hands. Her hands were almost frozen into fists. I felt Sherry needed a Service Dog. Liking her made volunteering my services so much more rewarding. I liked her.
Before training began, it only made sense to see if Rocco had any underlying health problems. Thanks to the support of local veterinarians who donated their services to NABS, Rocco was pronounced healthy! Once we got the go ahead from the doctors, we were ready to start training.
He began in kindergarten. Once he finished high school, it was time to bring Sherry in as part of the team. She needed to participate in the rest of Rocco's training so she could catch up to Rocco. It takes repeating verbal commands over and over, time and time again until you don't have to stop and think about a command, it just comes natural.
It takes longer to train a dog and a human when there's a wheelchair involved. We had to work around the chair. Sherry had to develop confidence and become a pack leader. Once she mastered those basic things, I wanted her to participate in the fun and in the frustration of training a dog to pick up keys or anything else she dropped or told him to bring and place in her lap.
SHERRY AND THE NABS' TEAM AT TACO CABANNA 2009; SUPPORTERS AT 'THE PASSING OF THE LEASH' CEREMONY IN ALVIN, IN 2010 WITH THE HONORARY JUDGE REID OF PEARLAND
OFFICIATING AT THE CEREMONY.
|
|
Bob Bolander, owner of Man’s Best Friend in Houston, graciously agreed to provide Rocco's protection training free of charge!
Check out the front page Alvin Sun newspaper article on Sherry's story.
Mayor Reid of Pearland officiated for a ceremonial 'Passing of The Leash' from his hands to Sherry's. Rocco made history! For the first time in Brazoria County's History a rescued stray transformed into a rehabilitated, fully trained Service Dog. He made history again when he was donated to a local resident free of charge.
Many local businesses donated food items for the celebration and some business donated things to be auctioned off to benefit NABS, the rescue Rocco came from. Other businesses donated items Sherry would need for Rocco. His costly backpack plus patches were donated by Active Dogs.com in Wisconsin where I had purchased my first Service Dog's backpack. Pictured above and right are some of the contributors who made sure there were no expenses for Sherry.
Check out the front page Alvin Sun newspaper article on Sherry's story.
Mayor Reid of Pearland officiated for a ceremonial 'Passing of The Leash' from his hands to Sherry's. Rocco made history! For the first time in Brazoria County's History a rescued stray transformed into a rehabilitated, fully trained Service Dog. He made history again when he was donated to a local resident free of charge.
Many local businesses donated food items for the celebration and some business donated things to be auctioned off to benefit NABS, the rescue Rocco came from. Other businesses donated items Sherry would need for Rocco. His costly backpack plus patches were donated by Active Dogs.com in Wisconsin where I had purchased my first Service Dog's backpack. Pictured above and right are some of the contributors who made sure there were no expenses for Sherry.
Rocco transformed, just like The Ugly Duckling, from an unruly stray dog to an obedient, protective, Service Dog for a paraplegic woman who, in herself, was an amazing story! She shared with me how she overcame obstacles, after a car wreck on an icy Illinois road took the use of her legs.
She met her husband while she was in therapy recovering from the accident at the age of 21. He was employed by the rehab center.
They have kids and I'd like to take this opportunity to say their children are very obedient, respectful, and extremely close to their mom. How did she do it? She's one resourceful lady! I told her she needs to write a book!
Now, thanks to NABS and to Rocco, Sherry has a friend who will always be with her to pick up her keys and chase bad guys away, if they are dumb enough to mess with that dynamic duo in the first place! God bless you, Sherry!
She met her husband while she was in therapy recovering from the accident at the age of 21. He was employed by the rehab center.
They have kids and I'd like to take this opportunity to say their children are very obedient, respectful, and extremely close to their mom. How did she do it? She's one resourceful lady! I told her she needs to write a book!
Now, thanks to NABS and to Rocco, Sherry has a friend who will always be with her to pick up her keys and chase bad guys away, if they are dumb enough to mess with that dynamic duo in the first place! God bless you, Sherry!
Click the link below to read the Alvin Sun Newspaper article about Sherry:
www.alvinsun.net/news/article_48fe8f79-bbd4-57c1-bfdc-48a229ce2b7a.html
|
Check out Sergeant Major, the third Service Dog.
|
|
You can donate with Cash App or PayPal at the link above. If you want to donate using MasterCard, Visa, AMX, or Discover, go to Nabstx.com and donate there. Be sure to mention in the notes that you are donating to the service dog program. Thank you for your help, and may God bless you for helping.
