CLEVELAND — Roxy, our Wags 4 Warriors puppy, has become quite the star! We love having her visit, but even better is the awareness she is bringing to the importance of service dogs for our veterans.
We know you have questions about our pup and her future, so we’ve started Roxy’s mailbag! You can post your questions on social media as well as email them to 3lovespets@wkyc.com.
Here are some of the questions you’ve asked...
Question: Roxy is a purebred. Do you use rescues?
Kayla DeLorenzo, Roxy’s handler: Yes! The majority of the dogs that are in Wags are rescued. And it’s not based off their breed. We will take any breed as long as they pass a temperament test. What we are looking for is a calm temperament to become a service dog.
Question: What will Roxy learn to become a service dog for a veteran?
Kayla: To be a service dog for a veteran she needs to learn a minimum of three tasks. It's going to be whatever the veteran needs. She could wake from flashbacks and nightmares. She could be a pill reminder. She will learn how to block or go around when we are out and the veteran needs her to block from something or someone else. There are so many things that she can learn how to do, but she needs to learn a minimum of three. It's going to be based off what her veteran needs
Question: When will Roxy meet her veteran?
Kayla: We get applications all the time, so we just need to find the right veteran that is going to fit with her and her fit with the right veteran.
Question: Will it be hard to say goodbye?
Kayla: Yes, it's always hard to say goodbye. It's so rewarding to see her with her veteran -- it's definitely going to be hard, it's always hard.
You can catch up with Roxy every Tuesday and Thursday morning on Channel 3. Make sure you send us your Roxy questions or any pet stories you’d like to see us do! Just email us at 3lovespets@wkyc.com.