The Human-Animal Alliance partnered with paws4people to sponsor AXEL, a crisis management facility dog for the Wilmington Fire Department.

WELLINGTON, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES, September 14, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- The Human-Animal Alliance has awarded a $25,000 grant to paws4people^®, a nonprofit specializing in training service animals. This grant will sponsor AXEL, a crisis response and emotional and mental health facility dog for the Wilmington Fire Department.

AXEL will serve within the department to help firefighters cope with the PTSD and stress that is an inevitable part of their work. He will also provide comfort to civilians in the wake of traumatic situations, such as car accidents or house fires. AXEL will be joining RHYS and HEART, the other two facility dogs of the Wilmington Fire Department, to combat the mental health crisis plaguing first responders.

When he’s off the clock, AXEL goes home with his firefighter handler, Captain Eric Moon.

paws4people is a Wilmington-based nonprofit that facilitates opportunities for individuals to experience a fulfilling life by providing customized training with highly qualified assistance dogs. AXEL is the third crisis response dog paws4people has trained and provided to the Wilmington Fire Department.

Through the sponsorship of The Human-Animal Alliance, AXEL completed more than 18 months of rigorous, specialized training. This included frequent trips to the fire department to further prepare him for the job, desensitizing him to unique stimulation like sirens or heavy equipment.

Jackie Ducci, founder of The Human-Animal Alliance, is a believer in the positive impact that a facility dog like AXEL can have on a high-stress environment.

“We know that AXEL will bring comfort to countless first responders and civilians in the Wilmington area for many years to come,” Ducci said. “Our team is thrilled to be a part of making that happen, thanks to our partnership with paws4people.”

This sponsorship is the latest initiative by The Human-Animal Alliance to bring animals into the lives of people in need. The H-AA has already awarded an additional $59,000 in 2023 to provide free animal-assisted therapy to bereaved children, young women in crisis, and survivors of human trafficking.

Learn more about The Human-Animal Alliance.

Learn more about paws4people.

About The Human-Animal Alliance
The Human-Animal Alliance is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Based in Wellington, Florida, The H-AA is dedicated to bringing people and animals together, keeping them together, and advocating for the human-animal bond.

Janelle Menard
The Human-Animal Alliance
janelle@h-aa.org
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