LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Lakeport man and his facility dog will take part in a fundraiser walk this weekend to benefit the efforts of Canine Companions for Independence.
Mike Curran and his canine partner, Eddie, will participate in the Dog Fest Walk n Roll in Roseville this Saturday, Oct. 25.
Curran said there will be hundreds of people – many of then connected to Canine Companions for Independence – walking with their dogs to raise money to help the organization with its mission of providing highly trained assistance dogs to adults, kids, and military veterans with disabilities.
Canine Companions for Independence, based in Santa Rosa, has placed thousands of dogs like Eddie since it began in 1975.
The dogs are valued in excess of $40,000 by virtue of the training they receive, after which they are matched with their human partner – at no cost – at a team training, he said.
Curran and Eddie were matched by Canine Companions for Independence in 2012, graduating from the program in May of that year. A video of the graduation can be seen below.
The two years since receiving Eddie, a golden retriever/Labrador mix, have been among the best of his life, said Curran.
“These dogs do truly change the lives of their human partners and those of their partner's family,” said Curran. “The doors that these dogs open – sometimes literally – is nothing short of amazing.”
Curran, a retired sergeant with the Lake County Sheriff's Office, has used Eddie in a variety of ways to help children.
Eddie has helped calm child victims of crime during interviews, been used in drug court and at Juvenile Hall, participates in local “Reading with Rover,” provided a steady presence at “Every 15 Minutes” and was a favorite with children in the Lakeport Library's summer reading program.
Curran said $500 will pay the cost to send two puppies to their puppy raisers, some of them out of state. That was the case with Eddie, who was raised by a Washington family.
Curran, who participated in a Dog Fest Walk n Roll event in Santa Rosa last year, set up a fundraiser page and quickly surpassed his modest original goal of $300. He's now seeking to increase his goal to offer a greater benefit for Canine Companions for Independence.
To support Curran and Eddie at the fundraiser walk, visit http://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1113515&supId=361630744&extSiteType=1 .
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.