WHEREAS, Brigadoon Service Dogs was founded in August of 2004, to be a nonprofit organization dedicated to pairing service dogs to human beings with needs; and
     WHEREAS, The puppies are trained from birth to the age of 24 months when they then become eligible for placement; and
     WHEREAS, The dogs are trained to execute a variety of tasks, such as calming an autistic child, providing hearing assistance for someone who is hearing challenged, assisting balancing an unstable adult, and retrieving medicine for a veteran; and
     WHEREAS, Dogs are paired with adults and children alike who suffer from a wide range of disabilities, such as autism, multiple sclerosis, and traumatic brain injury; and
     WHEREAS, Brigadoon partners with the local community to provide outreach and training for at-risk youth, school community projects, Girl Scouts, and other organizations that support the developmentally disabled; and
     WHEREAS, Brigadoon has partnered with the Warrior Transition Battalion at Joint Base Lewis-McChord; and
     WHEREAS, Dogs are paired with our men and women returning from combat who suffer from a variety of postwar side effects, including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; and
     WHEREAS, Dogs are trained to specifically help our veterans of combat, to perform a variety of tasks, including turning on and off lights, waking their human partner during a frightening nightmare, and calming a veteran during a panic attack or flashback; and
     WHEREAS, Brigadoon has joined forces with the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs, to make sure our veterans are paired up with a compatible animal companion; and
     WHEREAS, It is now anticipated that there are some 30,000 people in the State of Washington who qualify as people who could be paired with a Brigadoon Service Dog; and
     WHEREAS, There is now a 30-name waiting list to receive a Brigadoon trained service animal;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize and honor Brigadoon Service Dogs for all that they do for our community, our men and women of the armed services, and our adults and children who need their help; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That Brigadoon be recognized as an example of kindness, compassion, and empowerment for our loved ones with special needs.