Susquehanna Service Dogs’ PawsAbilities Is a Weekend for Dog Lovers

HARRISBURG, Pa., Jan. 30, 2014 /3BL Media/ - Dog Olympics, dock jumping, agility, and a bestselling author are all coming to Susquehanna Service Dogs’ PawsAbilities at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, PA on March 8-9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dogs and dog lovers are invited to this weekend full of fun activities for children and adults to do with their dogs.

This year, Luis Montalván, New York Times bestselling author of Until Tuesday: A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him, and his service dog Tuesday will be speaking at PawsAbilities. Until Tuesday is a powerful story about a man and a dog and how they found strength and healing in each other. Join Luis and Tuesday on Sunday, March 9 for a VIP brunch and presentation at 11 a.m. in the Keystone Conference Center at the PA Farm Show Complex. Tickets cost $35 in advance and include brunch, PawsAbilities event tickets, and a priority line for a meet and greet book signing. Tickets are available at www.pawsabilities.net.

WestWind Kennels and WestWind Air Dogs will be holding dock jumping at PawsAbilities. Dock jumping is a canine sport in which dogs leap off a dock and try to jump as far out over the water as they can. WestWind Kennels will be offering an open swim for anyone who wants to try dock jumping. There will be a small fee. Registration will be held at the event.

Other activities for all dogs and people include Dog Olympic Games, the Cutest Dog Contest, a costume contest, agility try-outs, various demonstrations of canine skills, a parade, and the Great Biscuit Bite Off.

Dogs and their handlers will also be able to take the Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog International tests (CGC/TDI).  By passing both tests, dogs join an elite group of therapy dogs and their handlers who are certified to make therapy visits. Preregistration is required for testing.

Advanced sale two-day tickets cost $8 for adults, $4 for children ages 4-12 and are available online at www.pawsabilities.net through March 3. Day-of tickets will also be available at the door, $10 for adults, $5 for children.

For registration and ticket information, as well as more information about PawsAbilities, visit www.pawsabilities.net.

PawsAbilities benefits Susquehanna Service Dogs, a program of Keystone Human Services Children & Family Services. Since 1993, Susquehanna Service Dogs has placed more than 225 Service Dogs to assist people with disabilities to be more independent. Service dogs assist children and adults with mobility, hearing, and psychiatric disabilities, as well as people with autism and military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Each dog is professionally trained to meet the individual needs of their human partner and completes tasks such as opening doors, picking up dropped objects, assisting with daily dressing, or pulling a manual wheelchair. The program is fully accredited by Assistance Dogs International and is a program of the United Way of the Capital Region. Susquehanna Service Dogs relies on donations and a dedicated group of volunteers, many of whom are Puppy Raisers of the dogs that will go on to change lives, fulfilling its mission of “Opening Doors and Changing Lives.”

For more information about PawsAbilities or Susquehanna Service Dogs, visit www.keystonehumanservices.org/ssd.

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