Two nonprofits key to Q.C. man getting helpful retriever

Queen Creek resident Jeremy Roberson has his very own Buffy who comes to the rescue — Buffy the golden retriever, that is.

Though named after Buffy the Vampire Slayer from the popular television series, this golden retriever is no nemesis of menacing vampires, but Roberson’s personal service dog and companion.

Roberson, who uses a wheelchair due to osteogenesis imperfecta, a brittle bone disease that causes bones to fracture easily, adopted Buffy and trained her to be his service dog in eight months.

Roberson, a 30-year-old software engineer who works from home, needed help picking up objects, so he trained Buffy to do just that.

When Roberson points to an item and says “take it,” Buffy picks it up, and when he says “give it,” she brings the item to him. Buffy can fetch the telephone, open Tupperware, offer brace support for standing, and turn lights on and off by using her nose to toggle the switch.

When training Buffy, Roberson had the help of Happy Tails Service Dogs, a nonprofit educational program that teaches individuals with disabilities the skills they need to train their own dogs to be service dogs. The program offers classes using only positive reinforcement.

“They don’t use shock collars, or yelling,” Roberson said. “That’s something that was really important to me.”

Though there are organizations that provide service dogs to the disabled, the waiting list can take up to two years and the costs can range from $2,000 and up, Roberson said.

Roberson adopted Buffy from Rescue A Golden, a nonprofit organization that rescues golden retrievers in need and helps find permanent homes for them. Roberson also volunteers for the group.

“It was fate,” Roberson said, regarding when he met Buffy. “Goldens are great dogs period. But they make phenomenal service dogs.”

Deb Orwig, president and founding member of Rescue A Golden, said, “We’re really happy when we can connect somebody like Jeremy with a dog who can help him out.”

Rescue A Golden is made up entirely of volunteers. There are about 70 volunteers in the core group who are active and 100 to 120 who occasionally help out, Orwig said.

“It’s absolutely fabulous working with such dedicated people,” she said.