A message from NEADS Program Development Administrator to all our veteran clients and applicants.

Hi, everyone, I’m Kevin Lambert, the Program Development Administrator here at NEADS. We wanted to post a quick video to remind everybody that through this COVID-19 ordeal that NEADS is still here. Although our campus is shut down, we’re also working remotely and still available. We still have dogs in training, and we are still planning for the future as we plan on being here for a long time. So please don’t hesitate to reach out and ask for help.

 

If you’re an existing NEADS client and you have a Service Dog from us that you want some help with, please reach out. The trainers are available, and they are ready to help, whether it’s training issues, behavioral issues, keeping your dog trained on public access, or, most importantly, keeping your dog skinny. Please call your trainer or email your trainer. They will respond and they will be able to help you through this challenging time and make sure that once we are ready to get back out there your dogs are in tiptop shape to do so with you.

 

Through all of our Service Dogs for Veterans programs it’s a part of it that we do not isolate, that we are out there socializing, and that we have our dogs out in the community. That is the point of it. During this time, it is OK to not be doing that. Again, the trainers can help you keep your dog trained on public access, in their behaviors, and skinny, but it’s important that you stay home and stay safe and keep your dog and family safe during this time.

 

For many of us that can lead the other challenging issues. If you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, please reach out there is plenty of help available out there whether it’s related to your service dog and we can help you or you just need to talk to someone in general. There’s a lot of help out there. Please do not hesitate to reach out and ask for help.

 

To those thinking about applying or submitting an inquiry, please do so. We are still here reviewing applications, reaching out to applicants, responding to inquiries, and Katy and I are still interviewing potential clients through our Skype program. Do not hesitate to reach out to us during this time if you think a Service Dog is the right fit for you, and we can walk you through the process.

 

To those who have already interviewed and are part of our accepted clients that are waiting to be matched, please do not think for one moment that we are not thinking of you during this time. Although we are not holding any classes as of right now, we will as soon as it is safe to do so, and we will begin the matching process as soon as possible. So if you’re an accepted client please know that through all of this you are still in our minds, we’re still thinking about you and, most importantly, we’re still trying to match you with the right dog at the right time.

 

To anyone who may be watching this where there is one of our clients with a Service Dog, someone waiting to be matched with a Service Dog, someone thinking about applying, or someone who just stumbled upon our website, please keep in mind that during this time you are not alone. We are all in this together and although it may be challenging times, this too shall pass. Thank you very much, and I hope everybody stays healthy and well.