Peoria students celebrate service dogs' 1st birthday
PEORIA, AZ -- A special group of puppies was treated to a first-birthday celebration at a west Valley high school Thursday.
The party for the service-dogs-in-training was thrown by staff at Peoria High School.
The dogs are part of the Peoria High School Internship Puppy Raising Partnership with the Foundation of Service Dog Support Program.
The three semester program is taught by certified instructors.
The regularly scheduled sessions for student participants include canine obedience, service dog training and safety instruction.
The puppies live with the students, attend classes, join them at work if allowed and accompany them on dates and other social situations.
After they complete the program, students will have skills in canine obedience training, and can become service dog evaluators and canine safety instructors.
After graduation, the students turn their trained service dog over to a disabled individual.
Qualifying recipients include wounded military personnel, police, fire and emergency medical service workers who were wounded in the line of duty.
Bill Weight, a Peoria Police Officer who was shot in the line of duty, will receive one of the service dogs from the first graduating class. He also serves as the spokesperson for the program.
Service dog recipients are chosen by a selection committee made up of representatives of FSDS, Peoria High School and the Peoria Unified School District.
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