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FLAGLER HUMANE SOCIETY: Trainer helps veterans with Paws of War

News-Journal - 12/4/2019

'Tis the season between being thankful and one of giving, and there is one woman in our community who exemplifies this all year every year -- Lauren Driscoll.

Driscoll runs Pet Peeves Dog Training and Paws of War. I have reaped the benefits of her talents and many of you have, too.

Lauren has been working with dogs for many years and is continually learning new ways to help the animals. Lauren helps train and run the play groups at Flagler Humane Society to help ensure they find good homes and adjust, even helps after the dogs find their "furever" homes and, if need be, to help keep them in their homes. She also does evaluations on dogs that come in to the shelter to let us know what we can do to help the dog be happier.

Lauren does in-home training and group training. She has been helping with our king shepherd that we adopted at Flagler Humane Society and she is my trainer for my service dog. I have also participated in her puppy classes. Lauren says, "You get out of the training what you put into it and you both will benefit from it."

Lauren runs Paws of War to help veterans have a better life by finding and training dogs (many have come from Flagler Humane Society) as service dogs. The tasks she teaches them range greatly. She does this for NO charge for the veterans. The veterans have done so much for everyone in our country and it warms my heart to see what this woman does for them. She supplies food when needed and helps any way she can.

Lauren runs many fundraisers to help with the cost because it can cost anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 to train just one dog. Lauren has speakers come in to speak with the veterans on topics that might help them, from VA benefits to opportunities in the community. One of the veterans built an agility course to train dogs to climb and go through tunnels. The bond she helps bridge from veteran to animal is incredible.

You might see a service dog out and about with a vest on that reads "service dog." Please don't pet them because when they have their vest on it means they are working and must be alert. If you know of any veteran who needs a companion dog, please have them reach out to Lauren Driscoll at Paws of War at 386-538-5100 to see if they qualify.

This holiday, please don't forget to help those less fortunate, be it human or animal.

Christen Brautigan is a vet tech who volunteers at the Flagler County Humane Society and oversees the local society's summer camps. She lives in St. Augustine with her husband, sons and pets of all shapes and sizes.

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