Student veteran discusses the importance of respecting service animals
Photo courtesy of Tamica Jean-Charles.
The second Frank Torres flew into the San Antonio airport, he was handed a leash attached to Baxter, a panting Border Collie mixed with Great Pyrenees.
Since then,Torres and Baxter were inseparable. For the next ten days, they fed, slept, played and ran errands together.
Two years later, Baxter continues to serve an integral role in Torres life.
“He knows a lot about me,” said Torres. “He’s learned me really well and know when things are about to happen.”
Torres was medically discharged from the military after ten years of service in June 2016. He started as a combat medic. During his time in service, he spent seven years with the 82nd airborne division in Fort Bragg, NC, and three years with an airborne brigade in Alaska. He retired from the U.S. Army as a staff sergeant.
Torres is now a biology student at FIU and is working towards becoming a physician assistant.
“If I didn’t have him I would probably be a hermit,” said Torres.
Torres was made aware of an organization that connected veterans with disabilities to service dogs for civilian transition. The organization, Shepherds for Lost Sheep, is based out of San Antonio, TX, and only requires applicants to provide an application and approval from a primary healthcare provider.
The initial waiting period can take as long as 15 to 20 months, said Torres, but since he was stationed in Alaska at the time, and given Baxter’s thick coat, the organization decided it would be best to link the two .
“They figured he would flourish in a cold environment at the time,” said Torres. “So instead of waiting 15 to 20 months, I only had to wait six.”
Service dogs are used by individuals with disabilities other than hearing or visual, according to the American Kennel Club.
Prospective service dogs are put through a temperament test, or the Assistance Dogs International Public Access Test, to test the dog’s behavior in distracting environments. Service dogs are trained to tend to their owner’s specific disability.
“They try to distract the dog in different ways as if they were working, basically just to see if they have the temperament to be a service animal,” said Torres. “The dog has to know he’s on duty and he can’t let distractions happen.”
Baxter may work 24/7, but he still gets chances to be a normal dog. Once the vest is off, he’s a totally different dog, said Torres.
“He’s running around my apartment, he’s having great time and chasing his tail. Even at the dog park he’s all over the place and having a grand old time,” said Torres.”It’s kind of my way of rewarding him because he’s with me everyday.”
However, having a service dog does does impose a few challenges, said Torres. Even though Baxter is trained to stay focused when in distracting environments, that doesn’t stop others from diverting his attention.
“People come up and ask questions, and I’m a very private person as it is, so when people constantly come up to me it gets a little agitating,” said Torres. “I get agitated at times, but I also understand they’re just curious.”
Distracting a service dog can be extremely detrimental to their owner, said Torres. Some disabilities requires the dog to be alert at all times, as they may be needed to act urgently.
“I understand he’s a beautiful dog but admire from afar please they’re working,” said Torres.