Today we’d like to introduce you to Sheri Soltes.
Hi Sheri, Thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Once upon a time I was a trial and appellate lawyer. I got thrown in the deep end a lot, and my stomach started hurting. This was before the internet (late 80’s), so my search for meaning found inspiration from a magazine article about dogs that helped people with disabilities. The end of the article mentioned that some groups used shelter dogs. Being a person who wants to rescue everything (often in the double digits at my house, including whatever is living in the attic that comes down every night and eats off the front porch), I set a course to change careers. That was in 1988, and Service Dogs, Inc. has grown to national and international prominence in the Assistance Dog industry. We innovated the Service Dog field by using only shelter dogs instead of breeding, providing the dogs free of charge (surprisingly, not the majority practice), and using force-free training methods for over 30 years (still under debate in North America).
We train Hearing Dogs that alert Deaf people to essential sounds, Service Dogs that assist people with mobility-related disabilities like spinal cord injury and muscular dystrophy, Courthouse Facility Dogs that support child victims in court, and Trauma Response Facility Dogs that support first responders like fire departments, ER hospital staff, paramedics, dispatchers, and law enforcement.
Our founder, Sheri Soltes, has served as Chair of Assistance Dogs International NA and the ADI NA Legislative and Advocacy Committee. She contributed to the Department of Transportation’s revisions to the Air Carrier Access Act and Walmart and Etsy, ceasing the sale of Service Dog vests and ID cards to the public and making public spaces safer for people using legitimate Service Dogs.
Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s always a mental game. Everyone encounters uncertainty, so the trick is to ground yourself regardless of externals. We rely 100% on fundraising. As we expand our operations to meet the statewide demand for Service Dogs, we need to increase our budget to hire more trainers, rescue more dogs, and provide customized training to wounded veterans and other Texans living with disabilities, plus agencies serving our most vulnerable community members like fire and paramedic stations, hospitals and courthouses. Our Trauma Response Facility Dog teams have deployed to help communities reeling from mass shootings, including El Paso, Uvalde, Allen, and even Nashville. Raising funds and building an operation to serve people living with disabilities, abused children, and first responders is a sacred mission. Our challenges are real; however, focusing on our mission always fuels us to keep going. And the community has responded, so we’re still growing after 35 years.
As you know, we’re big fans of Service Dogs, Inc.. What can you tell our readers who might not be as familiar with the brand?
Much of this is in the previous section. Essentially, Service Dogs, Inc. is Technology You Can Hug. We innovate by using dogs other people throw away. We excel by using positive training methods so our Service Dogs assist clients as partners instead of prisoners. We inspire by showing the world that people who are often marginalized are capable of greatness fueled by a partnership with a stray turned star. We are also proud of the 11 Guinness World Records we’ve fetched at our annual Mighty Texas Dog Walk, including Most Dogs Walked, Biggest Cake for Dogs, Biggest Coloring Book, and Biggest Fur Ball. We hope everyone with a dog will join us this year at our 23rd Annual Mighty Texas Dog Walk on Saturday, November 18th, at the beautiful Camp Mabry Parade Grounds. This year’s world record attempt: World’s Largest Dog Bowl (beat the Brits – again!) www.mightytexasdogwalk.org
What’s next?
We are passionate about setting up a satellite training base on the moon. (I got tired of typing.)
Pricing:
- We train and provide our dogs, including lifetime follow up, FREE of charge.
- You can Sponsor the Mighty Texas Dog Walk and meet 2,000 new customers here: https://www.mightytexasdogwalk.org/sponsors
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.servicedogs.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/servicedogsinc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/servicedogsinc/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@servicedogsinc1
Image Credits
All photos are property of Service Dogs, Inc.
