Dog training helps disabled

[Kacey]

I saw this on the Today show, and thought it was a great story:

Dog training helps disabled
Dec. 27: TODAY's Natalie Morales profiles occupational therapist Melissa Winkle and her partner, Jill Felice, who founded Assistance Dogs of the West, an non-profit organization that teaches disabled children with the help of dogs.

I'm hoping the link works properly; it's a link to a video clip of the story. If it doesn't work for you, or you have a slow connection, check the Today Show website under video links. I can't find a text version. The basis of the story is that this therapist gets help from developmentally and/or physically disabled children - many of whom have the same disabilities as the people the dogs are being trained for - to help train assistance dogs. The dogs get experience with the disabilities of the people they will be placed with, and the students learn about dog training (one young womand in the program now has a job as a vet tech because of her experience), budgeting, shopping (so the dogs learn how to behave in a store), riding buses, and other life skills they will need for themselves. It sounded like a great program for all those involved.