Taylor + Shelton

The Shelter to Soldier team adopted Shelton from our friends at Labs & More under the generous Red Star Sponsorship of Cox Communications! When Shelton first came into our program, he suffered from an upper respiratory infection that he fought for months. Just when he would get better, it would poke its head back up and make him ill again. Luckily, he recovered after some rest and TLC from our animal care team, and though slightly delayed from the setback, dove right into his training program with his trainer, Kayla. Shelton check-marked all the boxes he needed to begin a path toward becoming a dual purpose psychiatric and mobility assistance service dog for his future veteran handler.

Taylor is a US Navy Veteran who had been medically discharged after serving as a Military Police Officer. Like most who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress, Taylor experienced anxiety in crowds and developed hypervigilance. Since having Shelton, Taylor has gained the comfort of living a normal life again as a busy mother of three. With him by her side, Taylor has the ability to explore with her husband and kids, visit amusement parks, and hopefully experience a lighter path forward.

“I was struggling with everything, I could barely even leave my house. Then I found Shelter to Soldier. When I first started the process, I was extremely scared. I met many different dogs and never really found the right fit until Shelton. I was a bit skeptical about him being the perfect fit, but as time passed and we continued to work, my life has opened up in a whole new way. I’ve been able to enjoy going out with my family and live life. I’m entirely grateful to STS and their amazing team.”

Taylor & Shelton celebrated their graduation together, alongside the Shelter to Soldier team on December 15th, 2023.