Canine Career Serves Tri-State Families in Need

Written by Linda Palacios

Wednesday, 03 June 2009 10:14

Canine Career Serves Tri-State Families in Need
You might work 9 to 5 in a cubicle, but this professional pup works around the clock all over town. Learn more about one service dog who helps run a service dog placement organization.

She is small but mighty. Her 8-pound self helps to save lives with her keen senses. Her name is Piper. She is a little Papillon dog who works for Karen Shirk, founder of 4 Paws for Ability.

Shirk has lived with myasthenia gravis, a rare neuromuscular disease, which has caused her mobility and respiratory problems. Initially, many organizations turned down her applications for a service dog because she had to rely on a ventilator. So she started her own organization in 4 Paws for Ability.

This organization places service dogs for people, particularly children, in need. Each dog is trained specifically for its intended owner, and 4 Paws for Ability offers hearing ear dogs, autism service dogs, mobility service dogs, seizure service dogs, in-home companion dogs and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder service dogs.

With help from medications and service dogs, Shirk went into medically controlled remission, but she still can have exacerbations with her respiratory problems. That's where Piper comes in.

Piper can sense when a respiratory flare up is coming and warns Shirk with barks, licks and general excitement. With each warning, Shirk is able to take medication to prevent the episode, which could lead to the failure of her diaphragm and her inability to breathe.

Besides helping Shirk, Piper helps others in need of service dogs as the co-CEO of Pink Girlz, Inc. . As families await the selection of their specific service dog, Piper and her sister and co-CEO Gracie "write" letters to the families with stories and pictures of the possible puppies.

They also help in spreading the word about 4 Paws for Ability at various conferences, including an annual disability conference in Chicago. Other organizations have started to ask to be next to the 4 Paws for Ability booth because Piper and Gracie are such great marketers, Shirk says.

As she works long hours at Shirk's side Piper contributes even more to 4 Paws for Ability in the breeding program by raising two of her own puppies, born February 1. Shirk hopes that Piper passes her abilities as an alert dog onto her offspring. One of her puppies will follow in Piper's paw prints by joining the breeding program, and the other will become a service dog to be placed with an approved family.

As a part of 4 Paws for Ability Piper always is looking for people to help raise and socialize dogs. "Piper has friends who need to be taken for nine months so that they can grow up to be service dogs," Shirk says. Throughout foster care these dogs wear "puppy in training" vests to let the public know about their future careers.

For more information about Piper, visit the Pink Girlz, Inc. Web site. To learn more about how you can support Piper's efforts in 4 Paws for Ability or to apply for a service dog, visit the 4 Paws for Ability Web site.

PHOTO CREDITS
Photos courtesy of: Karen Shirk

Linda Palacios -
	Linda Palacios is the editor of Cincy Chic. Send her an e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .Read More >>

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