Brea, Calif. (Nov. 17, 2011) – Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI), the nation’s oldest and largest provider of pet health insurance, announced today its partnership with Freedom Service Dogs (FSD), an organization that trains dogs to serve as aides to people with disabilities by giving them the canine partners they need to perform daily tasks and become more independent. In the agreement between VPI and FSD, Freedom Service Dogs provides qualifying veterans with a VPI Pet Insurance policy that covers the first three years of policy premiums for their new companion as part of the Veterans Administration grant supported FSD program titled “Operation Freedom.”
Rescued from shelters in or near Englewood, Colo., where FSD is based, the dogs are immersed into a unique training program that converts them into service companions, ready to be matched with their owner and assume the responsibility of helping individuals with their daily needs.
“Veterans referred to our Operation Freedom program will benefit greatly from our new partnership with VPI,” said Freedom Service Dogs, Inc., director of events and means, Jill Lorentz. “Keeping these specialized dogs healthy assures that they will be able provide the assistance that they were custom-trained for and will be able to fulfill their critical role in their owners’ lives.”
“The Freedom Service Dogs program makes a life-long impact on the people and the animals it helps; it is a partnership that we embark on with great enthusiasm,” said Bobbie Cooper, director of Partnership Development, VPI. “Our role in providing health care coverage to these important companions for current and former servicemen and women means that they have one less detail to worry about. It allows them to focus on enjoying a new quality of life with their new canine companion.”
The dogs matched to FSD clients are fully prepared and have undergone hundreds of hours of work with certified training experts over seven to nine months. They learn 80 to 100 tasks that vary in complexity, from retrieving an item from the refrigerator, pulling out a credit card from a wallet, picking up large and very small objects, to calling 911.
Further, FSD believes that the relationship between the canines and former servicemen and women who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is exceptionally unique. In this instance, dogs are trained to be an escort and protector to PTSD-diagnosed veterans by either leading the way or walking behind them, providing the personal space they need to feel at ease in public. Often a dog is trained to wake a person from a nightmare and to be by their side afterward for comfort.
Because some FSD clients are in a wheelchair, the dogs practice scenarios such as pushing the handicapped door access. For people who are in wheelchairs, the companions restore confidence as well as independence. According to FSD, this improves their optimism and helps diffuse feelings of uncertainty when going out in public.
FSD goes to great length to match a canine with the right skill set and demeanor to a client. They undergo hours of customization training, working together over a three-week window. Annually, 20 to 30 dogs are placed with veterans who are referred by medical professionals to the FSD program. The average costs for training an FSD dog is about $25,000, which is paid for by private donations and foundation grants.
To learn more about this program visit www.freedomservicedogs.org.
About Veterinary Pet Insurance
With more than 485,000 pets insured nationwide, Veterinary Pet Insurance Co./DVM Insurance Agency is the No. 1 veterinarian-recommended pet health insurance company and is a member of the Nationwide Insurance family of companies. Providing pet owners with peace of mind since 1982, the company is committed to being the trusted choice of America’s pet lovers and an advocate of pet health education. VPI Pet Insurance plans cover dogs, cats, birds and exotic pets for multiple medical problems and conditions relating to accidents, illnesses and injuries. Optional CareGuard® coverage is available for routine care.
Medical plans are available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. More than 2,500 companies nationwide offer VPI Pet Insurance as a voluntary employee benefit. Policies are underwritten by Veterinary Pet Insurance Company in California and in all other states by National Casualty Company, an A+15 rated company in Madison, Wis. Pet owners can find VPI Pet Insurance on Facebook or follow @VPI on Twitter. For more information about VPI Pet Insurance, call 800-USA-PETS (800-872-7387) or visit petinsurance.com.
About Freedom Service Dogs, Inc.
Based in Englewood, Colorado, Freedom Service Dogs, Inc. was founded in 1987. For over twenty years, FSD’s mission has been to rescue dogs from shelters and train them to assist people with disabilities, thus increasing the person’s independence and peace of mind. FSD has several programs that help both dogs and people: The Client-Dog Team program custom-trains service and companion dogs. Pawsitive Connection is focused on character development of at-risk youth, taking them through the dog training program and developing the animal/human connection. Operation Freedom, developed in partnership with the Veteran’s Administration, allows soldiers in transition to help fellow comrades by training a dog that is destined to become a service dog for a severely wounded or disabled soldier or veteran. Each dog takes seven to nine months to train and costs approximately $25,000. FSD does not charge clients for the highly skilled dogs; instead they rely on private donations and foundation grants. For more information, please visit www.freedomservicedogs.org.