Sir Becket is a standard poodle trained as a mobility dog. He is owned, loved and relied upon by new Villager Janie Heinrich. Janie and Sir Becket offered a most interesting Member Connections event in the home of Paula Rao.

In 2010, Janie suffered a neurodegenerative spinal cord injury. She was told she would never walk again. Janie was not going to accept this. She had a standard poodle, Phoebe, that had been a gift to her on her 50th birthday. Her physical therapist and her spinal specialist were at a loss about how she would be able to manage walking again. It was her occupational therapist who suggested having Phoebe assessed for mobility training. That was the start of Janie’s journey back to independence and a whole life.

Phoebe, her dog at the time, was able to help her maintain her balance, build strength, and gain confidence in walking again. Sir Beckett was the next service dog to come into Janie’s life. Being her mobility dog makes Sir Beckett a Villager, as well!

Janie eventually launched a non-profit, MobilityDog, which trains service dogs and makes them available to people at any age from teen to well-over 55. MobilityDog supplies mobility tools for people in need. MobilityDog is building a world that works for everyone, not just for the moment we are “able”. Fellow Villager Beverly Braun said, “I’m amazed at what it costs to train a dog to do this kind of work, but isn’t it just wonderful?”

These dogs have created success for many of their owners from helping a young person attend and graduate college to helping people overcome their sense of defeat. Dogs have the ability to healing us in ways that are mysterious. They also charm the strangers they encounter, creating opportunities for their disabled owner to engage easily with the community.

Dog-lovers of the Village enjoyed Sir Beckett very much! He had the attention of a “working” dog and yet, displayed his true nature when he decided to lay down and sleep while Janie was speaking. Janie explained that he is “on duty” when he is with her and out in the world. His “dog time” comes when Bob, Janie’s husband, takes him for a walk and he is allowed to romp around like any other dog. Sir Beckett has a full life, indeed.

Janie’s uplifting and optimistic attitude is contagious. Villagers who knew nothing about these service dogs were enlightened by all she had to share. To learn more about Janie’s organization, you can go to www.mobilitydog.org. Janie is a Commissioner on the City of Pasadena’s Accessibility and Disabilities Commission (District 6) and has also participated in the City’s Adaptive Sports Festival, which happens in October.

To meet Sir Beckett and Janie, consider attending the attending ARF! (Accessibility Resource Fair) at Pasadena City Hall on May 3, from 11:30 to 3:30. You can also plan to volunteer at the Pasadena Village booth at the ARF! event. There are many more resources there for everyone. At any age we can encounter challenges. It’s never too late to learn what is available to us and the ones we care about.

As Janie and Bob (the wind beneath her wings) become more engaged in Village activities, you will surely have the opportunity to meet Sir Beckett, as well.

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