Winter Classic NADAC Agility Trials are Jan. 17-18!

Entries are now open for the Paws & Effect Winter Classic NADAC Agility Trials, scheduled Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 17-18, 2015 at the Jester Park Equestrian Center, 11171 N.W. 103rd Court, Granger, Iowa north of Des Moines. The judge will be Matt McCarter of Overland Park, Kansas.

The premium describing the event's rules and other details is downloadable as a PDF here. Entries are open from Dec. 8, 2014 to both days of the event.

The purpose of events sanctioned by the North American Dog Agility Council (NADAC) is "to demonstrate the ability of a dog and its handler to work as a smoothly functioning team." They are also great opportunities to meet up with other dogs and their enthusiasts. For general rules and information on NADAC events, click here.

Established in 2006, Paws & Effect is a Des Moines, Iowa-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that raises, trains, and places service dogs with military veterans and children diagnosed with medical needs. The group also registers therapy animals through Pet Partners, and regularly hosts NADAC-sanctioned dog-agility events for fun and fund raising.

Paws & Effect is also widely known for its dog-agility programs, through which children participate in physical, occupational, and speech therapy while taking a therapy dog through an agility course.

Iowa Realtor Foundation Contributes to Paws & Effect

Each year, the Iowa Realtor Foundation contributes thousands of dollars to community programs and projects with the objective of "keeping Iowa an attractive place to live."

Paws & Effect Executive Director Nicole Shumate announced the receipt of a $7,500 donation from the foundation this week. The money donated to Paws & Effect will be used toward the training and placement of service and therapy animals serving Iowans.

"Paws & Effect is privileged to have received funds from the Iowa Association of Realtors, which has supported many community non-profits, including Children & Families of Iowa and the Ashley Okland Star Playground. We're able to continue our efforts both as a therapy and service dog organization, because we are embraced by the community."

Service-dog-in-training Star was on hand to help 

receive the Iowa Realtor Foundation's recent gift.

Established in 2006, Paws & Effect is a Des Moines, Iowa-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that raises, trains, and places service dogs with military veterans and children diagnosed with medical needs. The group also registers therapy animals through Pet Partners, and hosts dog-agility events.

The Iowa Realtor Foundation is the good-works arm of the Iowa Association of Realtors, which is a leading advocate for more than 6,500 real estate professionals who live and work in the state of Iowa. Past donations have been directed toward efforts including housing and parks programs, and academic scholarships.

The organization's members are each pledged to adhere to a strict code of professional ethics, and are the only real estate professionals authorized to use the trademarked descriptor "realtor."

Paws & Effect Named 'Pet Partners Community Partner'

Central Iowa-based Paws & Effect has recently been named a Pet Partner Community Partner by Pet Partners, the "largest and most prestigious non-profit registering handlers of multiple species as volunteer teams providing animal-assisted interactions." The Bellevue, Wash.-based organization was formerly known as the Delta Society.

"Being a Community Partner recognizes the efforts that our volunteers have made over the past eight years. Becoming a Community Partner is an incredible achievement, one in which I am certain our volunteers take great pride," says Paws & Effect Executive Director Nicole Shumate. "Having been a Pet Partners volunteer for more than 10 years, I have witnessed the power of the human-animal bond time and again. It is wonderful to know that Paws & Effect and the Pet Partners program will contribute to Iowa for years to come."

Shumate's own experience as a Delta Society volunteer began in 2003, when she and her husband Eric—along with dogs Coffee Bean and Roggen—began conducting hospital visits in their previous state of residence. 

Established in 2006, Paws & Effect is a Des Moines, Iowa-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that raises, trains, and places service dogs with military veterans and children diagnosed with medical needs. The group also registers therapy animals through Pet Partners, and hosts dog-agility events.

Paws & Effect coordinates the efforts of more than 75 Pet Partners teams in Iowa, and maintains multiple evaluators and instructors. The Community Partners program requires Paws & Effect to maintain multiple evaluators and instructors. This infrastructure ensures sustainability, providing routine opportunity for current Pet Partners to reevaluate and for new volunteers to attend a training course.  

Additionally, the Community Partners program encourages organizations to host events that promote the human-animal bond. Paws & Effect hosts a bi-monthly book club and is currently seeking submissions for its first-ever writing competition about the human-animal bond. Paws & Effect has scheduled additional trainings for their Pet Partners in 2015, which will include a Reading Education Assistance Dog (R.E.A.D) seminar next October.

In addition to offering continual training and evaluation opportunities for handlers and their dogs, Pet Partners' Community Partners maintain rosters of 20 or more registered dog-and-handler teams. These volunteers provide therapy animal services to hospitals, healthcare facilities, schools, and other environments in a given geographic region.

Central Iowans interested in becoming a Pet Partner are invited to attend the next training course from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sat., Jan. 31, 2015 at Avondale Veterinary Healthcare Complex, 4318 E. Army Post Rd., Des Moines, Iowa. Cost is $75, which includes the Pet Partner manual. For more information, visit the national Pet Partners website here. To register, e-mail: nicoleshumate@paws-effect.org.

Re-evaluations for existing Pet Partners is available Jan. 10-11 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Pet Partners with registrations expiring between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2015 are encouraged to participate. Contact Nicole Shumate via e-mail to schedule a time: nicoleshumate@paws-effect.org.

'Age of Empathy' is First 2015 Book Club Selection

The first Paws & Effect Book Club selection for 2015 is "The Age of Empathy: Nature's Lessons for a Kinder Society" by animal behaviorist Frans B. M. de Waal.

The discussion will take place 6:30 to 8 p.m., Thurs., Jan. 8, 2105 at the Grand View University main campus library, Des Moines, Iowa.

The library is located on East 14th Street, between Grandview and Morton Avenues. For directions to campus and maps, click here.

With a doctoral degree in both biology and zoology, de Waal teaches, researches, and writes about primate behavior in the psychology department at Emory University, Atlanta, Ga. He is also the director of the Living Links Center at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center, also in Atlanta. According to the center's webpage:

[De Waal's] latest research concerns empathy and cooperation, inequity aversion and social cognition in chimpanzees, bonobos, and other species. He and his students have pioneered studies on how behavior is culturally transmitted in the primates, whether elephants recognize themselves in mirrors, how primates react to unequal reward divisions, how well primates spontaneously cooperate, and whether bonobo orphans are as emotionally affected by their trauma as human orphans.

Writing in plain-spoken prose, peppered with plenty of anecdotes, de Wall's "Age of Empathy" explores the possibility that humans—like other primates—are not inherently selfish, but are instead more than capable of creating an empathic and generous society.

"Having an appreciation for other species and their experiences helps us better understand our own relationships with each other," says Paws & Effect Executive Director Nicole Shumate. "So much research-based information is presented in Age of Empathy, it makes it a worthy read, two- or three-times over."

Writing Contest Seeks Stories, Poetry About Animals

Paws & Effect is in the second month of soliciting stories and art about our relationships with animals!

The nationwide arts and writing contest will be the centerpiece of our annual "One Heart, Four Paws" Valentine's Day celebration of the connections among humans and animals. We're looking for short fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and art in youth, military servicemember/veteran, and general public categories. There is a $100 monetary award in each category/subcategory. Deadline is Jan. 5, 2015.

Established in 2006, Paws & Effect is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that raises, trains, and places service dogs with military veterans and children diagnosed with medical needs. We also register therapy animals through Pet Partners, and host dog-agility events.

Editors are seeking previously unpublished flash-fiction, non-fiction, and poetry on the themes illustrating human-animal connections.

Winners selected in each of the following categories:

• Youth (Ages 6-12)

• Open—Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry

• Military service member/veteran—Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry

Winners in each category/subcategory will receive:

• Recognition at the Feb. 13, 2015 "One Heart, Four Paws" gala event.

• A monetary award of $100.

• Publication of their work(s) in a commemorative broadsheet, chapbook, or other physical object, to be distributed at the event.

All submitted works will also be considered for inclusion in a commemorative anthology, to be published later in 2015.

There is no submission fee for the Youth category. Youth submissions should be made via postal mail, using this downloadable form, or on-line here at Submittable.com. All hardcopy entries become the property of Paws & Effect and will not be returned. Send entries to:

"One Heart, Four Paws" Youth Contest
c/o Middle West Press
P.O. Box 31099
Johnston, Iowa 50131-9428

Guidelines for Open and Military/Veteran categories include:

• Submit via on-line tool at here at Submittable.com. There is a $15 submission fee.

• Limit one submission in each category per person.

• Poetry: up to 3 poems (5 pages maximum).

• All prose (including fiction, non-fiction, essay, and memoir): 750-word limit.

• Submissions exceeding the limits will be disqualified.

• Include a biography of 75 words or less with each submission. Past and present members of all branches, services, and nationalities may submit to the Military/Veteran category.

• Winners and contributors will be notified by Feb. 1, 2015.

• This project acquires first North American and anthology rights.

• Judges' decisions are final. Judges also reserve the rights to make additional awards in each category/subcategory, and to decline making awards within one or more categories/subcategories.

New Television Spot on Service Dogs, PTSD to Air

Paws & Effect - PSA 6 - "Home" from The Woods on Vimeo

A new Paws & Effect television spot will be aired by KCCI-TV in time for Veterans Day. The 30-second message, titled "Home," demonstrates how a psychiatric service dog helps his military-veteran handler navigate life with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (P.T.S.D.).

The message opens with footage of Iowa National Guard's 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division citizen-soldiers, returning from Afghanistan in 2011.

As part of the Central Iowa television station's public-service programming, the video clip will air on channels 8.1 and 8.2 starting Sat., Nov. 1. Beginning Nov. 22, the video will also be shown to "Hunger Games: Mockingjay" movie audiences at Century 20 Jordan Creek theater, West Des Moines.

The video can also be viewed on-line via Vimeo at link here, and above in this post.

Established in 2006, the Des Moines, Iowa-based Paws & Effect is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that raises, trains, and places service dogs with military veterans and children diagnosed with medical needs. The organization also trains therapy animals and hosts dog-agility events.

The non-profit has a history of engaging and educating its communities about service animal topics, including an award-winning series of five televised messages in 2011. All of television messages have been written and produced by Todd Cerveris of The Woods production company, New York City.

"This was by far the most challenging public service announcement we've made," says Paws & Effect Executive Director Nicole Shumate. "The first scene was filmed in Johnston, Iowa, at a homecoming ceremony for Iowa National Guard soldiers [...]. That moment, when troops are dismissed to see their family and friends, is incredibly emotional."

"Putting words to the experience of returning from combat, of explaining PTSD, it strained each of us personally and took a toll on our friendships," she says. "There is an honesty and integrity present here that reaches far beyond anything we have done before."

Contest Seeks Art, Writing about Human-Animal Bonds

As part of its annual "One Heart, Four Paws" Valentine's Day celebration of the connections among humans and animals, Central Iowa non-profit Paws & Effect is conducting its first-ever writing contest for youth, adult, and military writers. Deadline is Jan. 5, 2015.

Established in 2006, the Des Moines, Iowa-based non-profit is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that raises, trains, and places service dogs with military veterans and children diagnosed with medical needs. The organization also trains therapy animals and hosts dog-agility events.

Editors are seeking previously unpublished flash-fiction, non-fiction, and poetry on the theme of human-animal connections.

Winners selected in each of the following categories:

• Youth (Ages 6-12)

• Open—Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry

• Military service member/veteran—Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry

Winners in each category/subcategory will receive:

• Recognition at the Feb. 13, 2015 "One Heart, Four Paws" gala event.

• A monetary award of $100.

• Publication of their work(s) in a commemorative broadsheet, chapbook, or other physical object, to be distributed at the event.

All submitted works will also be considered for inclusion in a commemorative anthology, to be published later in 2015.

There is no submission fee for the Youth category. Youth submissions should be made via postal mail, using this downloadable form, or on-line here at Submittable.com. All hardcopy entries become the property of Paws & Effect and will not be returned. Send entries to:

"One Heart, Four Paws" Youth Contest
c/o Middle West Press
P.O. Box 31099
Johnston, Iowa 50131-9428

Guidelines for Open and Military/Veteran categories include:

• Submit via on-line tool at here at Submittable.com. There is a $15 submission fee.

• Limit one submission in each category per person.

• Poetry: up to 3 poems (5 pages maximum).

• All prose (including fiction, non-fiction, essay, and memoir): 750-word limit.

• Submissions exceeding the limits will be disqualified.

• Include a biography of 75 words or less with each submission. Past and present members of all branches, services, and nationalities may submit to the Military/Veteran category.

• Winners and contributors will be notified by Feb. 1, 2015.

• This project acquires first North American and anthology rights.

• Judges' decisions are final. Judges also reserve the rights to make additional awards in each category/subcategory, and to decline making awards within one or more categories/subcategories.

Top 2014 'Hero Dog' Susie Wins $5K for Paws & Effect

PHOTO: American Human Association

A pit-bull mix named Susie won the top "Hero Dog" award at this year's American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards. As Suzie's designated charity partner, Paws & Effect will receive a $5,000 award based on her win and participation.

Established in 2006, the Des Moines, Iowa-based organization is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that raises, trains, and places service dogs with military veterans and children diagnosed with medical needs. Paws & Effect also hosts Pet Partner training courses and evaluations, supporting therapy teams throughout the state of Iowa. Paws & Effect is widely known for its dog agility programs, where children may complete their physical, occupational, and speech therapy while taking a therapy dog through an agility course.

Susie, who lives in High Point, N.C. was the finalist in the Therapy Dog category. The ceremony will be broadcast nationally on the Hallmark Channel, Oct. 30, 7 p.m. Central Time. More than 130 dogs were nominated in this year's contest, and 1.5 million on-line votes were cast by the public. Suzie was selected from a pool of eight finalists. Other categories include arson, law enforcement, and guide and hearing dogs.

Susie's life story is a dramatic one, involving animal abuse, rescue, adoption, healing, and more. A short summary on the American Humane Association website reads:

Susie was only a puppy when her owner beat her savagely and set her on fire, leaving her for dead in a local park in Greensboro, North Carolina. After being rescued by a local animal shelter and nursed back to health, she was adopted by Donna Lawrence, who had been the victim of a terrible dog attack that nearly killed her and left her without the ability to have children. 

Together, they helped each other heal from their physical and emotional wounds, triumphing over pain and fear to become voices for abused animals and helping pass "Susie’s Law" in North Carolina, which calls for harsher penalties for convicted animal abusers. Susie became the subject of the movie, "Susie’s Hope," and working side by side, Donna and Susie continue to make the world a better place for others by visiting hospitals, schools, and nursing homes to inspire people never to give up.

In another Iowa connection, Chaney, an 8-year-old Labrador and retired Military Working Dog now living in Waverly, Iowa, was the finalist in the Military Dog category. Along with his handler, Chaney often volunteers with Retrieving Freedom, Inc. By participating in the Hero Dogs program and becoming a finalist, Chaney won $1,500 for the America's VetDogs of Smithtown, N.Y.

Pet-friendly 'El Dia de Los Muertos' 1 p.m. Sat., Oct. 18

A pet-friendly celebration of El Dia de Los Muertos ("The Day of the Dead") will be hosted by Central Iowa non-profit Paws & Effect at Living History Farms, 11121 Hickman Road, Urbandale, Iowa, starting at 1 p.m. Sat., Oct. 18. Costumes are encouraged!

El Dia de Las Meurtos is a traditional holiday that originates in Mexico and other Latino countries, during which family and friends gather to remember and celebrate their ancestors and other loved ones. It is usually observed close to Halloween.

"We share our lives with pets and people," says Nicole Shumate, executive director of Paws & Effect.  "Paws & Effect wants to create an opportunity to join together as a community, remembering and cherishing all those whose lives have touched ours."

Since 2006, the non-profit has trained and placed service animals with military veterans, children with autism, and others diagnosed with medical needs. The organization also trains therapy animals and Pet Partners.

A New Orleans-style memorial ceremony and jubilee procession will begin 1 p.m. at the Living History Farms' Church of the Land. Music will be provided by the Drake University Jazz Band.

The upbeat procession will culminate at the Living History Farms softball fields, where music will be provided by El Dorados. Participants can purchase food from Magnolia Kitchen and Grocery, and sample beer from Peace Tree Brewing.

Cost for the event is $25. Register on-line here.

In addition to Living History Farms and Paws & Effect, the event is co-sponsored by The Daniel Sesker Memorial Fund and Iowa Chapter of the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of Iowa (EANGI).

Book Club Event Rescheduled for Oct. 2

The fourth Paws & Effect Book Club selection for 2014 is "Plenty in Life Is Free: Reflections on Dogs, Training and Finding Grace" by animal behaviorist Kathy Sdao.

The discussion will take place 6:30 to 8 p.m., Thurs., Oct. 2 at the Grand View University main campus library, Des Moines, Iowa. The event was originally scheduled for Sept. 4.

The library is located on East 14th Street, between Grandview and Morton Avenues. For directions to campus and maps, click here.

The book relates how Sdao has developed a philosophy that emphasizes mutual reinforcement among trainers and their animals, rather than establishing rules that hinder the human's abilities to share affection and attention with animals they're training.

According to press materials:

[R]enowned dog trainer Kathy Sdao reveals how her journey through life and her decades of experience training marine mammals and dogs led her to reject a number of sacred cows including the leadership model of dog training. She describes in narrative fashion how she has come to focus her own training philosophy which emphasizes developing partnerships in which humans and dogs exchange reinforcements and continually cede the upper hand to one another.

Welcome, Daniel!

Paws & Effect would like to take this opportunity to officially welcome Daniel Gorchals as the Director of Operations!

Daniel was born and raised in Central Wisconsin. Shortly after graduating high school he enlisted in the United States Air Force. Daniel was a Security Forces member as well as a marksman in his career field. His specialty was the personal protection of foreign and domestic dignitaries. Daniel served all four years of his Active Duty Service Overseas to include Europe and the Middle East.

Daniel's duties will include fundraising, public speaking, peer support, and a positive public presence with his Service Dog "Arlington". Daniel brings a large skill set and eagerness to this organization and is an incredible asset to our mission. We couldn't be happier to have him with us!  Feel free to contact him at danielgorchals@paws-effect.org.

'Plenty of LIfe is Free' for Book Club on Sept. 4

The fourth Paws & Effect Book Club selection for 2014 is "Plenty in Life Is Free: Reflections on Dogs, Training and Finding Grace" by animal behaviorist Kathy Sdao.

The discussion will take place 6:30 to 8 p.m., Thurs., Sept. 4 at the Grand View University main campus library, Des Moines, Iowa.

The library is located on East 14th Street, between Grandview and Morton Avenues. For directions to campus and maps, click here.

The book relates how Sdao has developed a philosophy that emphasizes mutual reinforcement among trainers and their animals, rather than establishing rules that hinder the human's abilities to share affection and attention with animals they're training.

According to press materials:

[R]enowned dog trainer Kathy Sdao reveals how her journey through life and her decades of experience training marine mammals and dogs led her to reject a number of sacred cows including the leadership model of dog training. She describes in narrative fashion how she has come to focus her own training philosophy which emphasizes developing partnerships in which humans and dogs exchange reinforcements and continually cede the upper hand to one another.

Come Dine with Us at the Inaugural 'Tables & Tails'!

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is one of the laws that helps ensure people who use service animals can access buildings and businesses in the course of their daily lives. Together with local restauranteurs, help Paws & Effect celebrate the 24th anniversary of this landmark legislation with its inaugural "Tables & Tails" event!

Throughout the week, select Central Iowa restaurants will contribute a portion of proceeds to support training service and mobility animals for children and military veterans.

"These business owners regularly open their doors to make dining experiences that are memorable, safe, and enjoyable for all patrons," says Nicole Shumate, executive director of Paws & Effect. "We're humbled that they're extending their hospitality to help us celebrate and improve service-dog access in our community."

You can participate in "Tables & Tails" by dining at these sponsoring restaurants:

July 23:

Encore Pizza
5775 Merle Hay Road
Johnston, IA 50131

Flying Mango
4345 Hickman Road
Des Moines, IA 50310

July 24, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.:

Culver's of West Des Moines
1820 22nd Street
West Des Moines, IA 50266

Culver's of West Des Moines
101 Jordan Creek Parkway
West Des Moines, IA 50266

Culver's of Urbandale, IA
8660 Plum Drive
Urbandale, IA 50322

July 26:

Trostel's Dish
12851 University Avenue Suite 400
Clive, IA 50325

Trostel's Greenbriar Bar & Restaurant
5810 Merle Hay Road
Johnston, IA 50131

July 27:

Eden (during its "Sundae Sundays" event, and featuring ice cream by Indianola's Outside Scoop)
418 E. 6th street
Des Moines, IA 50309

Iowa Fraternal Order of Eagles Donates $138,000!

Nolan, a child residing in Polk County, Iowa, was on hand to thank donors. 

He looks forward to receiving his own autism-assistance dog in July 2014.

The Iowa State Fraternal Order of Eagles (F.O.E.) recently donated more than $138,000 to Paws & Effect, so that the Central Iowa non-profit trainer of service animals could maintain and expand its production of dogs specially trained for children with autism.

The donation was the result of fund-raising efforts from 39 FOE chapters, called "aeries," across the state. And donations continue to arrive. "The funds raised will be vitally important in growing and maintaining our efforts to serve children with autism," says Nicole Shumate, executive director of Paws & Effect.

Service animals are trained to perform physical tasks in support of a specific individual. By law, service animals are granted access to public spaces along with their handlers.

The cost of a finished service animal can range from $15,000 to $25,000 each, given training, food, veterinary care, uniforms, equipment, and other costs borne by the Paws & Effect organization. Paws & Effect trains service and mobility animals for military veterans, children, and others. Animals are placed at no cost to recipients, and those recipients train directly with their animals prior to the dogs' "graduation."

Paws & Effect has previously placed three dogs with children with autism, and two more dogs are nearly ready to graduate. A new class of puppies will arrive in the fall.

Serving children with autism is an outgrowth of Paws & Effects' long-standing commitment to children with special healthcare needs. Through its "Abilities Through Agility" program, Paws & Effect has been working since 2007 with another Central Iowa non-profit, ChildServe, to pair children and therapy animals in pursuing physical-, occupational-, and speech-therapy objectives. Unlike service animals, therapy animals are trained and socialized to serve general populations.

"For such a small and scrappy organization like ours, those years of experience put us on the cutting edge of developing service animals for children with specialized healthcare needs," says Shumate. "Nationwide, we seem to be one of the leading organizations working in this way."

The Fraternal Order of Eagles' mission is "an international non-profit organization, [that] unites fraternally in the spirit of liberty, truth, justice, and equality, to make human life more desirable by lessening its ills, and by promoting peace, prosperity, gladness and hope."

According to the organization, national membership exceeds 850,000, with more than 1,400 local aeries in the United States and Canada. Women's auxiliaries total more than 1,300, with more than 250,000 members.

New Iowa Craft Beer Company to Donate Sales

The newly launched Old Legion Brewing Company, Ladora, Iowa, is donating a 15 percent of sales of its inaugural "Big Gun Lager" to Paws & Effect, a central Iowa-based non-profit that trains service animals for military veterans and others.

The company mission statement reads, "Old Legion Brewing Company's mission is to provide a quality, military themed craft beer at a fair price, engage the beer drinking community to build awareness of veteran issues, employ veterans, and raise money for local veteran causes."

Ladora restauranteur and Old Legion founder Dimitri Makedonsky (recently profiled in the Des Moines Register) was inspired to start the company after renovating a former American Legion hall. While not a brewer himself, he has contracted the production of Old Legion recipes to Minhas Craft Brewery, Monroe, Wis.

Each Old Legion label features a tribute to a military veteran—the first will be B-24 pilot Robert Ahrens of Jewell, Iowa. Makedonsky, 52, is himself an Army and Air Force veteran, and other family members are, too. Makedonsky invites Iowans to nominate other veterans for future labels.

The company will placing official military seal and symbols on its products. Instead, Big Gun Lager appropriately features the silhouette of a tank. The company describes the beer as having "light aromas of malt and grain, a pleasant hoppy bitterness with a hint of sweetness. Big Gun Lager was placed in cold storage (lagered) for a minimum of 35 days resulting in its clean, crisp, smooth taste." The product is 5 percent alcohol by volume.

Makedonsky is currently seeking to hire veterans and others to establish a distribution beachhead. Contact the company via: careers AT oldlegionbrewing.com

Meanwhile, he's also personally visiting veterans' halls and small-town taverns to find distribution for some 4,400 cases that will soon be "air-dropped" into Iowa. He can be reached at cell phone: 641.990.9360.

July 10 Book Club Selection: Sebastian Junger's 'War'

The third Paws & Effect Book Club selection for 2014 is "War," by Sebastian Junger. The discussion will take place 6:30 to 8 p.m., Thurs., July 10 at the Grand View University main campus library, Des Moines, Iowa.

The library is located on East 14th Street, between Grandview and Morton Avenues. For directions to campus and maps, click here.

The 2011 book was written by Sebastian Junger, who also wrote "The Perfect Storm". Junger, along with photographer Tim Hetherington, repeatedly embedded as media with a U.S. infantry company in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley in 2007-08. In 2010, they made an Oscar-nominated documentary "Restrepo." A second documentary about the experience, "Korengal," will be released theatrically later this year.

As narratives, "War" and "Restrepo" are complements to each other. In far more detail and depth, however, the book tells the story not only of how the soldiers of Battle Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team fought the fight, but how they came to the fight in the first place. It also tells where it left them afterward.

One of the soldiers mentioned in "War" is Iowan Salvatore Giunta, who received the Medal of Honor for actions described in the book. Junger's "War" is an accessible, enlightening, and sometimes gritty read for those who want to learn about how American soldiers lived, fought, died, and survived in Eastern Afghanistan. By way of example, here are some quick excerpts of the plainspoken prose from the hardcover edition:

Every time you drove down the road you were engaged in a twisted existential exercise where each moment was the only proof you'd ever have that you hadn't been blown upon the moment before. [p. 142] 

Rear-base limbo: an ill blend of apprehension and boredom that is only relieved by going forward where things are even worse. [p. 199] 

When I asked the men about their allegiance to one another, they said they would unhesitatingly risk their lives for anyone in the platoon or company, but that the sentiment dropped off pretty quickly after that. By the time you got to the brigade level–three or four thousand men–any sense of common goals or identity was pretty much theoretical. [p. 242]

The book is available in bargain-priced hardcover, trade paperback, mass-market paperback, and other formats.

Hero Dog Awards: Vote for Cadence Before June 6!

Since 2012, the American Humane Association's Hero Dog Awards program has recognized the animals that help humans in ways ranging from the everyday to the extraordinary. One of this year's 24 semi-finalists is Cadence, a 9-year-old black and white Catahoula whose charity partner is Paws & Effect, Des Moines, Iowa.

Cadence is nominated in the Therapy dog category of the Hero Dog Awards contest. Other categories are:

• Arson dogs
• Guide and hearing dogs
• Law-enforcement dogs
• Military dogs 
• Search and rescue dogs
• Service dogs

Cadence began her mission as a therapy dog through the Delta Society's Pet Partners program in 2006. With love, patience, and strength, she has helped kids overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Friends describe Cadence as even-tempered, but exuberant.

"She's attracted to children and activity," says handler Nicole Shumate, who is also executive director of Paws & Effect. "She occasionally screams around the agility course—she has a career tally of exactly zero points in agility competitions—but absolutely loves being with kids."

In 2007, Cadence helped to start the Abilities Through Agility program at ChildServe, a non-profit provider of specialized health care to Central Iowa children. There, she helps special needs children reach their rehabilitation and developmental goals through agility activities. Since then, the program has expanded to a number of therapy dogs who touch the hearts of ChildServe children on a weekly basis. Cadence has also broken barriers in the court system, recently helping a special little girl though an extremely difficult trial.

The girl was housed at Youth Emergency Services & Shelter ("YESS"), and was a witness for the prosecution in an emotional case. Cadence helped the victim through the intense, agonizing court processes. Cadence—sensing the girl's vulnerability and unimaginable pain—dutifully curled near her feet each and every day, despite the stress and long hours. The assistant county attorney said, "I requested assistance from Cadence in facilitating communications with a child victim that was having a hard time ... Cadence provided companionship and distraction for the child, allowing the child to move past her negative feelings and work with me to proceed with the case."

Vote for Cadence at this page. Each day until the June 6, 2014 deadline, voters may vote for one dog in each category. Those receiving the most votes will advance to finalist.

According to the Hero Dog Awards website, "every finalist will be presented with a Hero Dog award for their feats of loyalty, bravery, and love, and win $1,500 for a selected charity partner. In addition, one finalist will walk away with top honors as the winning American Hero Dog for 2014, securing an additional $5,000 for their charity partner."

Register for 2nd Annual 'Service Dog People Jog' 5K!

Reposting this reminder from last month ...

Thanks to the terrific turnout at 2013's inaugural Service Dog People Jog, we're excited to announce this year's event! Paws & Effect's Service Dog People Jog 5K run and walk is set for Sunday, June 8 at 9 a.m. at Raccoon River Park in West Des Moines, Iowa. 

The Youth Dash/Run is set for 10 a.m. (FREE for kids 12 and under).

The Service Dog People Jog (SDPJ) is a 5K walk/run benefiting Paws & Effect, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. P&E raises, trains, and places professionally-trained service dogs with disabled veterans and children. Proceeds not only allow P&E to fulfill their mission, but also help to ensure that recipients receive service dogs free of charge.

Proceeds will benefit the nonprofit Paws & Effect and will assist with the care and placement of P&E service dogs to veterans and children with disabilities. The funds raised will also elp to ensure that service dogs are placed at no cost to recipients.

REGISTRATION

Register through our friends at GetMeRegistered! Registration fees provide entry to the 5K and trophies (awarded for designated categories). Following the race, you'll enjoy a root beer float in a custom Paws & Effect glass (yours to keep!) along with an array of snacks. You’ll also hear from veteran recipients of Paws & Effect service dogs.

Standard Registration is $30

Children ages 12 & under are free.

You can also purchase Paws & Effect T-shirts for $20 at the event.

PACKET PICK-UP

Saturday, June 7, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Location will be announced soon.

Sunday, June 8, 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

Raccoon River Park, Coneflower Shelters

CHIP TIMER PICK-UP

Chips will be picked up the morning of the 5K from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. All chip timers will be collected at the finish line. A fee will be charged for chips not turned in at the end of the race.

PRIZES

Prizes will be awarded to the top finishers. Categories will be announced soon.

KEEP INFORMED!

Registrants will receive an email with specific details concerning the 5K. You can also keep informed about Paws & Effect through our website, our Facebook page, and the ServiceDog People Jog event page.

For more information about the 5K, or to find out more about Paws & Effect, email info@paws-effect.org.

PLEASE NOTE: No refunds will be issued in the event of inclement weather or other unforseen challenges whereas the event would need to be cancelled.

Behind the Scenes: When Dogs Train to Fly

See the recent KCCI-TV report here.

Today's air travelers know to anticipate such stresses as cramped conditions, long lines, and weather delays. That's why service-animal trainers work with airline and airport personnel to ensure that working dogs are prepped and ready for take-off.

As specified by the Air Carrier Access Act of 1986 (A.C.A.A.) , service animals may accompany their handlers in airports and on flights. As working animals, service dogs are trained to assist individual handlers with specific physical tasks, in order to mitigate physical or mental conditions. Under the access law, handlers are not charged extra for having their service animals travel with them.

Recently, a group of military veterans working with Paws & Effect, a Central Iowa non-profit that trains mobility and other service animals, were featured in a news report on KCCI-TV, Des Moines. In the report, the veterans and their new dogs are shown successfully negotiating an obstacle course of security baggage checks and boarding procedures.

Personnel from the Des Moines International Airport and Frontier Airlines also assisted in the training event.

Just as in other public settings, fellow travelers can help dog-handlers and animals by knowing about access laws, and not distracting handlers and animals while they are working. Dogs are trained to place themselves under seats, in order to keep aisles and exits clear.

Although there is no such thing as a service-animal "license," Paws & Effect also trains handlers to travel with documents regarding the health and safety of their animals. Information on the state of Iowa's "certificate of veterinary inspection," for example, includes identifying information such as microchip number, and vaccination history.

Register for 2nd Annual 'Service Dog People Jog' 5K!

Thanks to the terrific turnout at 2013's inaugural Service Dog People Jog, we're excited to announce this year's event! Paws & Effect's Service Dog People Jog 5K run and walk is set for Sunday, June 8 at 9 a.m. at Raccoon River Park in West Des Moines, Iowa. 

The Youth Dash/Run is set for 10 a.m. (FREE for kids 12 and under).

The Service Dog People Jog (SDPJ) is a 5K walk/run benefiting Paws & Effect, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. P&E raises, trains, and places professionally-trained service dogs with disabled veterans and children. Proceeds not only allow P&E to fulfill their mission, but also help to ensure that recipients receive service dogs free of charge.

Proceeds will benefit the nonprofit Paws & Effect and will assist with the care and placement of P&E service dogs to veterans and children with disabilities. The funds raised will also elp to ensure that service dogs are placed at no cost to recipients.

REGISTRATION

Register through our friends at GetMeRegistered! Registration fees provide entry to the 5K and trophies (awarded for designated categories). Following the race, you'll enjoy a root beer float in a custom Paws & Effect glass (yours to keep!) along with an array of snacks. You’ll also hear from veteran recipients of Paws & Effect service dogs.

Standard Registration is $30

Children ages 12 & under are free.

You can also purchase Paws & Effect T-shirts for $20 at the event.

PACKET PICK-UP

Saturday, June 7, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Location will be announced soon.

Sunday, June 8, 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

Raccoon River Park, Coneflower Shelters

CHIP TIMER PICK-UP

Chips will be picked up the morning of the 5K from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. All chip timers will be collected at the finish line. A fee will be charged for chips not turned in at the end of the race.

PRIZES

Prizes will be awarded to the top finishers. Categories will be announced soon.

KEEP INFORMED!

Registrants will receive an email with specific details concerning the 5K. You can also keep informed about Paws & Effect through our website, our Facebook page, and the ServiceDog People Jog event page.

For more information about the 5K, or to find out more about Paws & Effect, email info@paws-effect.org.

PLEASE NOTE: No refunds will be issued in the event of inclement weather or other unforseen challenges whereas the event would need to be cancelled.

Book Club Selection for May 1 Event: 'Nudge'

The second Paws & Effect Book Club selection, "Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness" will be discussed at the next "Read with Me" event, Thurs., May 1, at the 4 Paws Unleashed doggie daycare facility, 5278 N.E. 14th St., Des Moines, Iowa.

The 2008 book regards how organizational changes in "choice architecture" can positively affect people's decision-making behavior. But that sounds a little dry ...

"By a 'nudge' we mean anything that influences our choices," say authors Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein in an Amazon.com interview. For example, "a school cafeteria might try to nudge kids toward good diets by putting the healthiest foods at front. We think that it's time for institutions, including government, to become much more user-friendly by enlisting the science of choice to make life easier for people and by gentling nudging them in directions that will make their lives better."

Nudge is certain to enlighten and entertain those who want to help make the world a better place, or to help themselves and others make better choices.

Nudge is a past New York Times bestseller, and "best book of the year" for both the Economist magazine and the Financial Times. The book is available at local booksellers or on-line, in trade paperback, Audible audiobook, and Amazon Kindle formats.

Paws & Effect's Spring Fling Agility Trial

The Paws & Effect Spring Fling dog agility trial is almost here. Download the premium and enter today. Prepare to have a teriffic time — and look forward to a great way to spend time with your pup enjoying the beautiful May weather, too! 

Saturday, May 3, 2014 and Sunday, May 4, 2014

Camp Dodge, Johnston, IA

Download the premium here. (word document)

Download the premium here. (PDF)