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FSSA's 2008
Service Dog Award Winner
Landye’s Little King CGC, TDI
aka “Ryan”
DOB 12/23/95
Owners: Mike and Joanne Roehrs
Nominated by Owners |
Ryan came to us at three years of age in 1998. Prior to that time he was in a
home where he was severely neglected. When we brought him home, his muscles
were atrophied, he was malnourished, his joints arthritic, and he had many
diseases, including heart worm. He had been exposed to very little
socialization and had to be coaxed to leave his kennel.
As part of his socialization and reconditioning, Ryan was enrolled in a CGC
class which lead to a Therapy Dog class. With a true Field Spaniel
temperament, Ryan blossomed when exposed to kind people and animals. He loved
people and was a very gentle dog. He went on therapy visits with my wife
Joanne as part of a local organization called “Canine Mash.” While not as
flashy and lacking in tricks that many of the other dogs displayed, he stole
people’s hearts and comforted the elderly and ill with his gentle,
affectionate manner.
As a family therapist, Ryan would also accompany Mike to his office where he
was instrumental in helping small, frightened children to feel safe enough to
talk and grumpy, angry, adults comfortable enough to cry. All the while, Ryan
limped around the office, happy to share the warmth of his body and heart.
As Ryan aged, he has suffered various illnesses and increasing debilitation
from arthritis. Over the past couple of years, he was limited to coming to
the office once per month for one special visit with an ailing, elderly man,
who was terminal in his condition. No matter how irritable or grumpy this man
was, he would always light up and smile at the sight of Ryan plodding into
the room on his arthritic legs. This summer, this patient died, so Ryan is
now officially retired from his therapy work at age 13. He still plods and
stumbles around the house, tail wagging, asking only for a pat on the head
and an occasional cookie.
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The purpose of this award is to recognize and encourage Field Spaniels and their
owners who are involved in service work. This is an annual award that will be presented at
the club's awards banquet. The award will be a plaque or other suitable object upon which the
name of the dog earning the award and the year shall be inscribed. The award will be given
to the owner of the dog.
Rules for Award:
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Service dog means a living Field Spaniel, or Field Spaniel
who died during the year of nomination, who works, or has worked in one of the following areas:
therapy dog, special companion to the disabled, search & rescue, hearing dog, in special functions
for police or fire organizations, or similar service-to-mankind endeavors.
Nominations for this award shall be made by any FSSA member.
The owner of the dog need not be a member of the FSSA.
Nominations shall include the name of the dog, the name and
mailing address of the dog's owner, name and address of the person nominating the dog, the name
of the breeder, a photo of the dog, and a description of the service activity performed by the
dog. Descriptive information shall be limited to one double spaced 8.5 x 11 letter size
page. *Nominations shall be sent to the FSSA Secretary. Sender of the nomination material
shall be responsible for confirming its timely receipt by the Secretary.
Nominations shall be made from January 1 through February 28
for the prior calendar year. The Secretary shall place an announcement of the application
process in the FSSA newsletter in a timely fashion.
Nominations and related information shall be sent to the FSSA
Board of Directors who shall vote by secret ballot, solely upon the written information provided,
and without discussion of the merit of any of the nominations. Should only one nomination
be made, that nominee automatically becomes the award winner, and no vote shall be required.
Should there be a tied vote, the vote shall be held again with consideration given only to those
nominees tied by vote for the award. Should a second vote again result in a tie, and there
are only two nominees under consideration, both nominees shall be declared the "Field Spaniel
Service Dog of the Year."
A dog may earn this award only once.
The award winner shall be announced during the annual awards
banquet of the club, with a reading of the nomination information of the dog so awarded.
The owner of the dog need not be present. The award and a congratulatory letter shall be
mailed to the recipient as soon as is practical following the announcement of the award.
The nomination information submitted about the award winning
dog and the photo shall be published in the FSSA newsletter following the presentation of the
award.
The FSSA has a comprehensive award program that
is a benefit of membership in the club.
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