Dog's Best Friend

Today's column in The Gazette about Cedar Rapids veterinarians Randy and Michelle Ackman raising a dog for Canine Companions for Independence (for more about the program click here) came from an idea submitted to me last July. Steve Carpenter, public information director at Kirkwood Community College where Randy is an instructor in the Animal Health Technology Program, e-mailed me a story that Tom Garland had written for Kirkwood.

While I could have done something with the idea then, I decided to wait until now because Tom's story indicated that the Ackmans would have to give up their new pet, Essie, in February. Waiting to do a story closer to that date (Feb. 13) would not only give the Ackmans more experience with the program, but would bring them closer to the point of separation. I wanted to know if a veterinarian who has to help patients' owners cope with loss would feel as they do. Indeed, he does.

"Feb. 13 is going to be a very, very sad day," Randy said.

But, it will also be a happy day if Essie, now a 68-pound well-mannered golden retriever/yellow lab mix, can go on to become a companion dog for a person with disabilities.

It will be 6- to 9-months -- the length of additional training plus the matchup training that takes another two weeks -- before Randy knows if that will happen. But he and Michelle will receive periodic updates and will be invited to the "graduation" ceremony in Ohio if that happens.

If, by chance, Essie doesn't graduate, the Ackmans are given the first right of adoption. Randy says they will take Essie back, that they love her that much.

Randy also says the Ackmans have decided to "adopt" another canine companion in training for 14 months.

"Oh, yeah," Randy said. "We're already going to do it again. It's a lot of work, but it's fun. You talk to some people, they've done 10 to 15 dogs. It's a great program, one we've meant to do for a long time."