YELLOW SPRINGS, Ohio (WKEF) -- It was an emotional but joyful day on Friday, Nov. 15 in Yellow Springs. 4 Paws for Ability graduated its 2,000th service dog, hosting a ceremony for families, friends, volunteers, and community members to attend.
Kate Cabral, the mother of Zoe Cabral with special needs, talked about the next step and how her family's life has already changed.
"This is so exciting. We can't wait to get home and start our lives. We are just so united as a family with Pardi [their service dog] here. He's really brought the kids together. He's brought my husband and I together. It's allowed Zoe to have some more independence, and I really hope that as time goes on we're going to see that flourish for her," said Kate.
All dogs are known as "man's best friend" but some dogs have a special purpose from birth. The dogs at 4 Paws for Ability are born to become "forever companions" or service dogs to those who need them and are trained for that task from the time they are born.
On Friday, eleven dogs graduated from the organization's training program to go home with their families for good.
"A lot of hard work, love, dedication has gone into each of the dogs, and now they're ready to be with their partner and to help them navigate life together," KaLynn Clark, 4 Paws for Ability development director said.
This ceremony was extra special for the organization that has been around since 1998. Its 2,000th service dog was part of this class.
For families, this day is a milestone after years of waiting and working with the organization. The Cabral family was in contact with 4 Paws for Ability for three years.
"We did interview with a few companies that didn't just quite fit our needs for Zoe," said Kate. "We watched a documentary called 'Dogs' on Netflix and my heart melted, and I just decided they were the right company."
4 Paws for Ability serves families throughout the nation, not only families in Ohio. There were families at the graduation from California, Nevada, and Massachusetts, just to name a few.
There is a key reason why this organization fills a void that other organizations do not. "We are unique that we have no minimum age requirement to get a service dog from us," said Clark.
Each family with a graduating dog had a chance to speak. They shared why this journey is so pivotal by giving people a glimpse into their lives.
"It feels like we were abducted to a life-changing moment," Vivian Rhoads, a mother of a 4 Paws for Ability family said.
"Being a parent is hard. Being a parent of a special needs kid is especially hard," John Rhoads, Vivian's husband said.
"It took her maybe three years to learn how to jump, and it was such a huge milestone. We celebrated like you wouldn't believe but the downs, the lows are low," Laura Wilson, a mother of a 4 Paws for Ability family said. "It's incredibly draining and it's especially isolating."
"We heard about 4 Paws when my family was researching about family dogs and realized that there are service dogs for kids on the autism spectrum, just like me," Maddux Muir, a child with special needs who is getting a service dog from 4 Paws for Ability said.
If you would like to learn more about how you can support, volunteer or get a service dog from 4 Paws for Ability, you can click HERE.