Guest: Beth Russell

Charmaine welcomes Beth Russell to the show.

Beth is a Registered Nurse and the Founder and Training Director of FREEDOM DOGS Specialty Service Dogs.

Beth, a certified service dog trainer, has had an animal training career that has included the training of multiple family pets including dogs, cats, stray wild birds, chickens, several goats, and Arabian horses.  With a love for finding new and creative ways to teach animals new skills, the transition to training assistance dogs was a natural evolution. 

Her nursing career has been spent in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit/ Trauma Unit, Home Care and Nursing Education, Development and Research Department. 

Beth founded Freedom Dogs in 2006 with the goal of assisting those returning warriors with mobility issues.  It quickly became apparent that there was a much greater need for assistance with the hidden disabilities of PTS and TBI and the focus of the organization then changed.  In 2008 a proposal was placed before the Commandant of the Marine Corps regarding the Freedom Dogs’ Partner Program and he requested a 6 month pilot.  At the completion of the pilot, the results were so astounding that the program continues today.

Though Beth is fond of saying nothing is 100%, she does agree that Freedom Dogs does have a 100% record on one thing.  There have been no suicides by those young men and women who have participated in their programs though many have been at great risk.

Host Charmaine Hammond is the author of On Toby's Terms (Bettie Youngs Books) which is being turned into a major motion picture (see www.ontobysterms.com). She also authored Toby The Pet Therapy Dog & His Hospital Friends, GPS Your Best Life and Toby Says Be a Buddy Not a Bully.  She has developed a program for authors, Your Book As a Business, where she shares her learnings, lessons and success about the business of books.