Heather Ainsley
ECB Publishing, Inc.
Since 2020, Chris O'Brian of Forgotten Coast K9 has strived to change the lives of U.S. military veterans and those afflicted by mental and emotional health conditions. His company initially opened in 2018 as a dog-training business, focusing not just on training dogs, but on instructing owners on how to train and work with their own dogs. While the company was seeing success in their endeavors of working with recreational canine companions, Chris began to see the need for a different direction the company could take, and made the decision to turn his training company into a non-profit organization that was dedicated to pairing veterans in need with life-changing service dogs.
For men and women who have put their lives on the line to serve our nation, adjusting to civilian life can be a huge mental and emotional challenge. Many veterans and first responders have seen and lived through horrors that the rest of us can hardly imagine, leaving them with crippling anxiety, depression and even PTSD. For many service members, retired or still in duty, a service dog can be the key to living a normal life, as these dogs provide security, emotional and even medical support.
These dogs don't come cheap, though, and many service personnel who desperately need a service dog cannot afford to get one, or they may find themselves on a waiting list for years until one comes available through a charity program. A single service dog can cost anywhere from $25,000- 40,000, a price that most individuals simply cannot afford. That's where Forgotten Coast K9 comes in.
As a veteran-owned and operated 501(c)(3) organization, Forgotten Coast K9 aims to provide certified service dogs to veterans and first responders at minimal to no cost to them, with the help of donations and fundraising efforts that help to offset the cost of the animals and the necessary training.
While O'Brian has spent the last several years living in Madison, he and his team regularly travel across the nation to meet with veterans who wish to participate in their program. Over the last five years, they have been able to provide service dogs to countless veterans in over 15 states.
While their mission has not changed over the years, Forgotten Coast K9 has seen some recent developments. Around 14 months ago, they disassociated with previous partner, Top Tier K9, and established their own foundation dog-training facility, Service Paws Academy. Through their academy, they are able to work completely in-house for the base training of the dogs, and this allows them to have constant communication with their trainers, as well as direct control over the treatment and level of training and care their dogs receive, with no unauthorized variations.
Additionally, Forgotten Coast K9 has been granted a long-term lease for property in Gulf County. The organization will be permitted to use the land for the next 40 years, enabling them to build a full-service training facility where individuals in their program can come to receive training and other services. While this is an incredible opportunity for the organization, O'Brian mentions that the location couldn't be more ideal.
“Going over there is going home,” he says. “This all started in 2018, when my dad was having cognitive issues. It's the meaning behind the name, 'Forgotten Coast' and the significance of the angle of the compass in our logo. On Aug. 4 of last year, we lost Dad. To be able to introduce this facility in his hometown, now of all times, is special. It feels right.”
While the construction of the facility is still underway, the plans are well in the works. O'Brian mentions that there will be cabins where students can stay while they complete their two-week training with their canine, with plenty of room for loved ones or family members who wish to accompany them as they complete the program.
While training will be an important focal point of the facility, O'Brian stresses that he wishes to provide a number of services to veterans and first responders while they are staying at the facility for training.
“I want this facility to have everything these individuals need to make life better for them,” states O'Brian. “It will have the training facility, yes, but will also have nutritional coaching and resources, psychological and mental health resources, counseling and support groups. There will be a location onsite for less-formal training, where people within the program can come and access these resources and get away if they need to.”
The facility will have approximately 10 cabins where students in the training program can live on site while they work to achieve their certification with their service dog. The grounds will have around eight RV slots, where participants can bring family members. The facility will also have a broadcast studio, where the organization can share their training programs and classes.
“I want to build on the community aspect of what we do,” says O'Brian, “The suicide rate is not going down. This facility will allow at-risk people to have clear access to programs that will help make life better, and let people in the community see tangible results of their donations and our outreach efforts.”
The facility has so far benefitted from several generous donors, and money is not the only way people can donate. O'Brian mentions that several individuals and companies have donated services that will help with the development of the training facility; an architect donated complete design plans for the blueprints of the buildings, a builder donated preparation services of the site, and a generous donor has given $60,000 toward the construction of the main building. Looking ahead, this project will be costly, and Forgotten Coast K9 is actively looking for additional corporate partners and individuals in the community who wish to help support their mission. As the facility is in the beginning stages of construction, some donors may even have the ability to name buildings on the grounds, securing a legacy in the charity's foundation. The facility itself will be named in honor of Homer N. Allen.
As a 501(c)(3) organization, Forgotten Coast K9 relies solely on donations from the public to support their veterans and first responders, and help pair them with a service dog they need. There are several ways to donate:
Check donations are tax deductible, and can be sent to Forgotten Coast K9 directly, located at 137 SW Shelby Ave. in Madison, Fla., 32340. The organization also accepts donations through CashApp and Venmo and can be found under the name $forgottencoastk9 (CashApp) and @forgottencoastk9 (Venmo). They also accept donations through their website, Forgottencoastk9.org/donations and on their Facebook page.
Anyone wishing to apply for a Forgotten Coast K9 service or emotional support dog, or for more information on how you can make a difference, you can reach Chris O'Brian and the team online at ForgottencoastK9.org.
