Success Stories

NEADS brings together a community of puppy raisers, prison inmates, on-staff trainers, and others to produce a highly trained Service Dog who is then matched with someone to mitigate a specific disability.

There is nothing more telling about the successful and lasting human-animal partnerships this community creates than the stories of the lives these World Class Service Dogs change.

Service Dogs of the Game 2022

NEADS was well-represented at Fenway Park this past summer. As part of the Boston Red Sox Service Dog of the Game program, which NEADS has supported since 2019, several NEADS…

Creating Smiles: Christine and Assistance Dog Jonesy

Christine never stops smiling when she talks about her partner, Assistance Dog for the Classroom Jonesy. Which is fitting, as she says “he creates smiles.” Christine is an elementary school…

Jonesy – “Making Each Day Better”

When 5th grade counselor Christine Brouillard works with students, she’s got extra help: a gentle yellow Lab named Jonesy. It’s been a year and a half since NEADS Assistance Dog…

Changing a Life: Patrick and Service Dog Knight

It’s been a year now since Patrick met Service Dog Knight. Patrick still works as a specialist at an Apple Store. He still lives in his North Shore condo. His…

Jared and Trauma Assistance Dog Jeter

NEADS asked U.S. Marine Corps veteran Jared Wimberly to explain how Trauma Assistance Dog (TAD) Jeter works with him to calm and ground him. TAD Dogs learn specialized task work…

Steve & Service Dog for Hearing Charlotte

Army veteran and retired Chicago police officer Stephen Hood’s hearing was profoundly deteriorating; even his hearing aids and cochlear implant were not enough to alleviate the mounting challenges of his…

Grace and Blue –Then and Now

Grace was matched with Blue, a NEADS Service Dog for Autism, in 2017. We recently caught up with Grace and her parents, Corwin and Renee, and were so inspired by…

Hospitalization and Recovery during a Pandemic

The pandemic has been difficult for all our TAD* veterans, but one client in particular, Rebecca, found herself in an extremely tough situation. A few months prior to the pandemic, she had to make the hard decision to have her second leg amputated. She had only had her Service Dog, Sully, for about 4 months at that time and was clearly worried about what to do with him while in the hospital…

Phyllis and Service Dog for Hearing Scout

I had been considering applying for a Service Dog but one day, about 12 years ago, it became very evident that I shouldn’t put it off. While I was asleep…

Kayne and Service Dog Nikki

Nikki has been with me for about a year now. She has changed my life dramatically, and I can’t imagine it without her. Nikki helps me with my daily tasks.…

Mark and Service Dog Skipper

When I first found out that NEADS had a Service Dog for me, I will admit that I got excited, but when I was told his name was Skipper, I…

Chris and Hearing Dog Masie

I first learned about the Hearing Ear Dog Program (now NEADS) in an article in the Disabled American Veterans magazine in 1982. I contacted the program and was interviewed and…

Tamela and Assistance Dog for the Courthouse Salem

Tamela is the Victim Witness Coordinator for Bannock County, Idaho, handling all cases that involve a victim (sexual assault, stabbing, aggravated battery). She was matched with Salem in 2018. Salem…

Parker and Service Dog for a Child Evers

As is typical of many children with autism, 8-year-old Parker had problems making friends, had bad reactions when upset, and had difficulty following directions. His parents were always looking for…