Holy Names Recognizes Local Organizations for Supporting Canadian Veterans

Left to right: Matthew Hoang, Kylie Laporte, Kenzy Risto, Anissa Rawlings, Ashlynn Laslett, Cindy Weir, Hanna Travo, Ryan Isley, Thalia Smith, Amelia Guitar and Vanessa Fabre

In 2018 when he imported his first German Shepherd from Europe, Ryan Isley soon noticed that learning to communicate with his dog brought him great joy. While training his companion started as a hobby, it soon turned in a full-time job and Ontario K9 was born. Located in Ruthven, Ontario K9 focuses on stability, obedience and protection dog training services.

One year later in 2019, Cindy Weir of Beamsville started the not-for-profit organization Veteran’s Elite Canines whose mission is to provide Canadian Military Veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with specifically trained and supported service dogs.

After finding Ontario K9 on Instagram, Cindy reached out to Ryan and suggested that they meet. Cindy liked Ryan’s approach to training, the way his team handled their dogs, the outstanding reviews they were receiving and the results they were delivering to their clients.

Ryan was happy to provide a live demonstration to Cindy. He showed her a number of local Essex County dogs of varying ages who had gone through his training and would be eligible as service dogs.

Cindy was impressed. As a Canadian veteran herself, Cindy told Ryan about the challenges that many of our Veterans face as a result of PTSD. Cindy’s story struck a chord with Ryan whose own father is a Veteran having served in the United States Marine Corps.

Working with Veteran’s Elite Canines has allowed Ryan to mix his passion of training dogs with community service. He believes that dogs have long been a great source of comfort to humanity. They help many people cope with traumatic events and carry out daily tasks that were previously unachievable.

Working together, Ontario K9 and Veteran’s Elite Canines can now set their sights on producing excellent service dogs for our Veterans.

On February 2, Ryan and Cindy Weir teamed up to talk to the students of Holy Names High School in Windsor about the role that service dogs play in helping veterans suffering from PTSD. Also on hand were service dog Gracie and three service dog prospects. Student council members of the school presented them with a generous donation of $500 to help them continue with their important community service.

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