January 18, 2010

Puppies Behind Bars

In 2008, my husband Sgt William Campbell was the first OIF veteran to receive a service dog from the charity Puppies Behind Bars (PBB). PBB is based in New York and trains inmates to raise puppies to become service dogs for disabled OIF/OEF veterans as well as explosive detection canines.

This video shows the reunion between my husband and the female inmate that raised his dog Pax. I cannot fully convey what an incredibly emotional trip this was, nor can I over-exaggerate the number of Clonazepam my husband took to deal with the event! The reunion was captured by Glenn Close and her production team and resulted in a full-length documentary. The following clip is just a snippet which was used on Oprah's website to help promote the PBB charity.




Glenn Close, from her website, www.fetchdog.com,
I have been inspired and moved by one story after another, but never as much as I am by the story of Bill Campbell and Pax … Pax was first socialized and trained by Laurie Kellogg, an inmate at the maximum security Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women. So a dog, initially loved and trained by a woman who has lost her freedom, but wants to give back to society, is enabling the life of a veteran of the Iraq war who was imprisoned by his disabling injuries. The story speaks for itself.
Please visit Puppies Behind Bars website for more information www.puppiesbehindbars.com

2 comments:

  1. I am so happy that your husband has Pax to help guide him in this new world he finds himself in.

    I have looked into receiving a service dog, what does that entail?

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  2. Hi Scott,

    This dog has been a blessing for helping Bill manage his fear of being out in public. If you are interested, I would suggest the best place to start is by going to the PBB website, or calling them directly. You can get their contact info from their website www.puppiesbehindbars.com

    Qualifying for a dog is a fairly lengthy process, but well worth it in the end. PBB is a wonderful charity and all the people connected with this organization are incredibly passionate about what they do. The quality of the dogs they produce is amazing, and they adhere to the highest ethical standards. It has been a pleasure to be part of such an outstanding and well acclaimed organization.

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