PEORIA MAGAZINE July 2023

He realized that many area veterans needed trained service dogs, but there was no local organization to help them. He set about starting Freedom Paws Service Dogs for veterans and first responders, which was recognized as a non-profit organization in April 2019. The dogs from Freedom Paws are trained to meet the psychological needs of the recipients. The group provides seven to eight dogs a year to veterans and first responders.

coming up behind its handler. Blocking teaches the dog to create a path for the handler while moving through a crowd of people. “For a lot of people with PTSD, I find they want space,” said James. Handlers with PTSD most often need a dog trained to sense any kind of pending emotional attack. “The dogs have changed lives,” said James. ‘SHE IS A PURPOSE’ Jeff Sikes and his service dog are a familiar sight in Peoria Heights. Sikes is the one riding a bright green e-bike, pulling a matching pet carrier with Wrigley, sitting up and enjoying the ride. Wrigley was purchased for Sikes by his parents in 2019 and trained for him by Freedom Paws Service Dogs. A Siberian husky, Wrigley was 6 weeks old when Sikes got her and enrolled her in private training, costing him up to $700 per month. James from Freedom Paws reached out and offered to train Wrigley for free. “I’m a disabled veteran on a fixed in come, so that helped me a lot,” said Sikes. “A year and a half later, she became a certified service dog.” Wrigley graduated from Freedom Paws in March, 2022. Sikes, 49, has traumatic brain injury, causing weakness on one side of his body, and PTSD. He served in Iraq with the U.S. Army, 82nd Airborne Division. He was there for 15 months the first time, one month the second time. He went on more than 100 missions. His PTSD symptoms include anxiety and wanting to be alone. “If you’re just sitting there not doing anything and keeping to yourself, that’s when you start having those bad thoughts. The suicide thoughts. The thoughts that the world is a bad place,” he said. Sikes works at keeping busy. “I try to get out and do as much as I can and with Wrigley. She gave me the ability to where I now have tickets to the Chiefs games. I’m also going to get tickets for the Rivermen.

Corey James, founder of Freedom Paws Service Dogs, with trainer Adam Thompson

A Freedom Paws Service Dog Foundation training session

“It’s important … to try and be involved because that’s where the therapy happens. It means cheering when they make a good play, being aware of everybody around you and how happy they are …” Without a service dog, Sikes said there would be no way he could go to a sporting event or talk to strangers on the street. “A lot of things with anxiety goes on with me and Wrigley keeps me calm, just knowing she’s there,” said Sikes. “It’s a dual relationship we have. I know that she’s there, she’s got my back, she’s always looking out for me. But at the same time, I’m there, I have to look out for her, so it gives me the responsibility that I have somebody else to look out for. That releases my anxiety as well, just having a purpose. She is a purpose.”

Some 22% of their dogs flunk out of the program, due to temperament or lack of interest. “I feel every dog has a purpose, but sometimes it’s not what we want it to be,” said James. “Sometimes the dog just doesn’t care enough. They’re dogs.” Freedom Paws also provides service dogs at no cost, relying on donations. Most of the organization’s dogs come from seven breeders that donate one dog out of each litter. “The breeders have been a blessing, because we get quality dogs, free-of-charge,” said James. Freedom Paws relies on 30 to 40 volunteers for training, puppy raising and fundraising. With Freedom Paws, a dog starts out living and training with a puppy raiser for three to six months. After a pairing, the dog and its new owner continue training with Freedom Paws for another 18 months. A major difference between training dogs for veterans and other service dog recipients is the request for block-and cover training. Cover training teaches the dog to be on alert if someone is

Linda Smith Brown is a 37-year veteran of the newspaper industry, retiring as publisher of Times Newspapers in the Peoria area

32 JULY 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE