IRVING, Texas — He grew up in New Orleans with foster parents who willingly gave him up to a Marine paraplegic in Dallas.
His name is Griffith. He's a Labrador Retriever. And he's the latest canine companion helping mend a fractured life.
"He's just gonna really simplify my life I think," said Marine veteran Paul Attaway minutes before Canine Companions on the campus of Baylor Scott & White in Irving gifted him the service dog and new best friend he will call Griff.
"It's really fulfilling, said Maggie Homer who, along with her husband Brandon Robert, raised Griff since he was a puppy and then returned him to Canine Companions for several months of training. Friday in Irving at a graduation ceremony 12 dogs, including Griff, were gifted to their new owners.
Attaway suffered a debilitating back injury in a motorcycle crash several years ago and is limited to life in a wheelchair. Griff is trained to pick up anything he might drop, open doors and cabinets and refrigerators for him and, by his very nature, provide constant enthusiastic companionship.
"It's a special bond being a puppy raiser, it's really special," said Homer after Griff jumped on her and licked her face after seeing her for the first time since he was returned to the Canine Companions training program. "It's kind of the hardest, most rewarding thing that I think I've really done in my life to be honest with you because to love something so much but to love it with a purpose and to be able to pass that love along is really special."
"I don't know how they do it. I don't think I could," said Attaway. "I've only known Griff for two weeks and there's no way I'm giving him up. It takes a special kind of person to do that I think."
Canine Companions, at locations throughout the United States, trains service dogs and therapy dogs for people with physical or developmental disabilities and adults who are deaf or hard of hearing. They also provide facility dogs for professionals working in health care, visitation or educational settings. Since 2018, Canine Companions has also placed service dogs with United States Armed Forces veterans with service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The dogs help with nightmare interruption, turning on lights, retrieving items, anxiety interruption and supporting their handler in crowded public situations.
Each dog spends its first year and a half with a volunteer puppy raiser to learn basic tasks and socialization. When returned to Canine Companions, the dogs receive five to nine months of specialized training before being gifted to their new owner.
"It's just think it's an amazing program, honestly," said Attaway as Griff jumped into his lap and licked his face.
Canine Companions, benefitting from a nationwide network of employees and volunteers, has provided service dogs at no cost to their clients since 1975.