Veterinarian Turns Stray Dogs Into Certified Rescue Companions
By: Jocelyn Tovar, KARK 4 NEWS
Updated: November 13, 2012
Beagle-pointer mix "Emma" was enjoying a day of pampering.
At the "All Pets Center" in Hot Springs Village, Emma was treated to all the amenities as a way to say thank you for her hard work.
"I served 19 months in Vietnam and in the Persian Gulf War for about a year," said Emma's owner Ronal Plush, who struggles with PTSD.
When he has a night terror or isn't feeling well, Emma is there.
"And she just put her head on my chest and just stayed close to me," said Plush.
Plush and Emma were paired at the center by veterinarian Robert Zepecki who takes stray dogs and gives them a second chance.
"Any dog can be a service dog," said Zepecki. "And I would prefer it that way," he said.
"Saw a lot of the atrocities that were over there," said Veteran Dean Dill who served in the Cold War and now works at the center.
So who better to help train the rescue dogs to better understand how they can help their veteran.
"When she realizes I'm in that deep depression," said Dill, "She'll come up and nudge my arm and break that concentration."
"The doggies are rescuing the veteran," said Dr. Zepecki, "While the veterans are rescuing the doggie. They're both rescuing each other and they don't know it."
Red vests made especially for the center to let everyone know even though they may not look like it, these dogs are certified service animals.
"They expect something a lot larger," said Plush, "But it's not the size of the dog that counts it's the bond between the human and canine."
A resource for healing started by someone who knows a veterans pain all too well.
"I have PTSD also," said Dr. Zepecki. "For the first 30 years I didn't know I had PTSD but I had dogs all the time, so I was in dog therapy and didn't know it," he said.
Dr. Zepecki pairs the dogs and veterans personally, creating a bond lasting for years.
And it's his dream to make this service dog project, the only one of it's kind in Arkansas, available to veterans long after he's gone.
If you would like information on the All Pets Center program you can contact Dr. Zepecki by calling (501)625-3418.
At the "All Pets Center" in Hot Springs Village, Emma was treated to all the amenities as a way to say thank you for her hard work.
"I served 19 months in Vietnam and in the Persian Gulf War for about a year," said Emma's owner Ronal Plush, who struggles with PTSD.
When he has a night terror or isn't feeling well, Emma is there.
"And she just put her head on my chest and just stayed close to me," said Plush.
Plush and Emma were paired at the center by veterinarian Robert Zepecki who takes stray dogs and gives them a second chance.
"Any dog can be a service dog," said Zepecki. "And I would prefer it that way," he said.
"Saw a lot of the atrocities that were over there," said Veteran Dean Dill who served in the Cold War and now works at the center.
So who better to help train the rescue dogs to better understand how they can help their veteran.
"When she realizes I'm in that deep depression," said Dill, "She'll come up and nudge my arm and break that concentration."
"The doggies are rescuing the veteran," said Dr. Zepecki, "While the veterans are rescuing the doggie. They're both rescuing each other and they don't know it."
Red vests made especially for the center to let everyone know even though they may not look like it, these dogs are certified service animals.
"They expect something a lot larger," said Plush, "But it's not the size of the dog that counts it's the bond between the human and canine."
A resource for healing started by someone who knows a veterans pain all too well.
"I have PTSD also," said Dr. Zepecki. "For the first 30 years I didn't know I had PTSD but I had dogs all the time, so I was in dog therapy and didn't know it," he said.
Dr. Zepecki pairs the dogs and veterans personally, creating a bond lasting for years.
And it's his dream to make this service dog project, the only one of it's kind in Arkansas, available to veterans long after he's gone.
If you would like information on the All Pets Center program you can contact Dr. Zepecki by calling (501)625-3418.
