Pompano Beach, Florida February 7, 2020 – If dogs are man’s best friends, then service dogs are their life-enhancing faithful companions. Service dogs for veterans take it one step further: providing their valuable assistance to those who have selflessly served our country.
Kalashnikov USA (KUSA) believes in giving back, especially to military veterans. The company is also filled with dog lovers. Recently KUSA decided to help a very deserving Marine veteran by providing her with an emotional support service dog. Meet US Marine Corps veteran Lorena Guimares and her new canine companion, Vityaz, a male Labrador Retriever puppy:
K-9 recruit Vityaz, sitting on the yellow paw prints at Recruit Depot Pawris Island, meets his new battle buddy, former US Marine Corps Sergeant Lorena Guimares
Over the next six-months, and under the watchful eye of professional dog trainer (and senior drill instructor) Fletcher Swain of Custom K-9, K-9 recruit Vityaz and former “Devil Dog” Lorena G. will be honed into a lean, mean, finely-tuned human/canine machine.
Kalashnikov USA (KUSA) is grateful to several key individuals and organizations who helped make this happy connection happen. Sgt. Adams Lin of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) made the introduction to Marine veteran Lorena Guimares. In addition to being the county’s largest law enforcement organization, the PBSO is well known for their support of military veterans and their annual Bark-A-Thon event designed to promote pet adoptions.
Dog trainer Fletcher Swain helped identify and secure a suitable puppy with the right temperament and intelligence needed to become a fully-trained emotional support service dog. Custom K-9 is providing lodging for Vityaz as well as a suitable parade ground where he and his human companion can learn to march in unison and communicate with each other.
“This really was a team effort involving KUSA employees, community partners, and even our customers (especially Dennis M.) who helped us select “Vityaz” as the name for the service dog in training. In Slavic mythology, a vityaz was a noble knight who fought dragons, giants and other creatures using a combination of strength, wits, and courage. We’re confident our canine Vityaz will likewise help Lorena overcome her challenges” said David Garretson, VP of Marketing for Kalashnikov-USA. ‘Stay tuned as we follow this dynamic duo on their Semper Fidelis bonding journey” he added.