Noyes Students Receive Task of Naming New Service Dog

The puppy isn't expected to be born until late this year, but the four-legged creature already has a school-full of friends.

Students in the third through fifth grades were asked during an assembly on Oct. 9 to come up with the name for the new service dog and write an essay why his or her name is the best.

The winning name will be announced on Oct. 30 during the school’s Veterans Day program.

"When the dog comes to Framingham or Concord to be trained in the prison, then when it comes out on weekends there are opportunities to see their dog as it's trained and comes through the system until it is ultimately given to a disabled person," Veterans Agent Peter Harvell said.

The First Lt. Scott Milley VFW Post 8771 paid $1,400 for the naming rights of the service dog.

John Moon, who has worked for NEADS for six year, introduced his assistance dog, Rainbow, to the students. 

"Well over 400 dogs have gone through the program (since I started with NEADS)," he said. 

The NEADS mission is to provide independence to people who are deaf or have a disability through the use of canine assistance.

"They do all the basic needs," Harvell said of the service dogs. "They turn on and off lights, they can answer the door, and they can go to the refrigerator and get a beer if that's what you need."

NEADS (National Education for Assistance Dog Services), also known as Dogs for Deaf and Disabled Americans, is a non-profit organization that was established in 1976. Assistance dogs become an extension of their handlers and bring freedom, physical autonomy and relief from social isolation to their human partners.

"I've talked to a lot of veterans who, when they get these animals, it's a life-changing event," Harvell said. "Similar to the injury that brought them to the point of needing the animal. Basically the dogs have given them their lives back."