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(Photo credit: Sanja Cokolic/Getty Images)
Robbie Stouffer, of Illinois, can thank his experienced service dog Carolyn for saving his life. According to a report from WMBD, Stouffer credits the “bond” that exists between them for her ability to sense his distress and know what happened even before he did.
Caroline graduated from Freedom Paws service dogs (FPSD), an organization that helps veterans educate their own service dogs of puppies. With this custom training, the pup is uniquely tailored to the needs of their veteran.
The motto of FPSD is: Never walk alone. They specifically target veterans and first responders suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome.
Corey James, CEO of FPSD, told WMBD they can provide this service “at no cost to the veteran.” It is a volunteer-run non-profit organization funded by donations.
Carolyn the service dog & Robbie the veteran
In Stouffer’s case, he’s been training Carolyn since she was two months old.
“Almost straight away, I mean, within a few training sessions, we realized this was a match,” James said, speaking of when Carolyn and Stouffer were first introduced.
Stouffer told WMBD that both he and Carolyn have been working together for over a year, they do absolutely everything together and she often “feels what he feels.”
“It’s better than your best friend,” Stouffer said. “It’s… I can’t really explain the security and the feeling of being there. [She] goes to work with me, she goes with me to doctor’s appointments, shopping.”
A special bond prevents catastrophe
“It’s better than your best friend,” Robbie Stouffer reportedly said. “I can’t really explain the security and the feeling that someone is there.” https://t.co/tIPNQWK41s
– Newsweek (@Newsweek) October 14, 2021
On the day of the incident, Stouffer noticed that Carolyn was “going a little crazy.” For example, she always tried to sit on him in a different way than usual and did not leave him alone.
When Stouffer’s chest started to ache, he didn’t know what was going on. But Carolyn was immediately alert, which he paid attention to.
“I grabbed my phone and then she sat down,” Stouffer said, remembering his 911 call. “And I thought this was a little weird, weird behavior.”
After explaining to the dispatcher what was going on, they immediately sent help and gave him a few instructions.
“I opened the door as” [the dispatcher] asked, and then I fell to the ground,” Stouffer said.
If this had happened before Stouffer answered the phone, and if Carolyn’s behavior hadn’t prompted him to do so, he might not have lived that day.
But instead, Stouffer is doing well, with Carolyn back by his side. He told WBMD that he is grateful to have her as a companion.
Did you know that President Biden recently signed a bill to allow Veteran Affairs to supply service dogs to veterans? You can watch the full story here!
Do you bond with your pet like Robbie does with his experienced service dog? What does such a bond mean to you? Let us know in the comments below.
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