Inspired by a service dog named “Shakespeare” and with the help of a non-profit, an 11-year-old Stark County girl was encouraged to get her own Canine Companion.
NEW ALBANY, Ohio — On Ready Pet GO! we often share stories about Canine Companions. Since 1975, the national non-profit organization has provided professionally trained service dogs — at no cost — to people with disabilities. That includes adults and children with physical or cognitive challenges, as well as veterans living with PTSD.
It's all thanks to the staff, the volunteers and donors, who believe that money should not be a barrier to independence. The organization's mission is illustrated in the hundreds of human-canine partnerships that are created each year.
Mackenzie and Zinger are one of them.
“Hello and welcome to the North Central Region's November 2024 graduation!”
It's Nov. 1 of last year and we've travelled to New Albany, just outside of Columbus. It is graduation day on the campus of Canine Companions' North Central Training Center.
It's a momentous occasion that happens roughly just four times a year at the facility. Graduating service dogs who started their journey at just 8 weeks old are being recognized, along with their new human counterparts, who have undergone training too.
For two weeks, the new teams have been working under the guidance of trainers, preparing them to leave together for their new lives ahead.
Among the teams: 11-year-old Mackenzie Mellen of Stark County and her new service dog, Zinger.
“He was one of the first dogs we met when we got here that first Monday. We worked with a few different dogs but he was the cutest, the fluffiest and the hardest working,” Mackenzie said.
“I am excited to get home and I know he's going to be part of my life for the next 10 years,” she said.
Mackenzie's year-long journey to this momentous occasion started much closer to home — at Green Intermediate School, where she works with “Shakespeare,” a Canine Companions facility dog.
“The facility dogs from Canine Companions are trained with the same expectations and all the same tasks that a service dog know,” Lori Morgan told 3News.
Morgan is a counselor at Green Intermediate and Shakespeare's handler. He comes to work with her every day, with a job to do.
“Instead of helping just one person, like a typical service dog does as it's matched with a graduate and helping them with their daily independence and living, a facility dog is matched with an able-bodied handler that is using that dog in a modality to meet the needs of people they work with,” Morgan explained.
Shakespeare's role is varied. Part of his day might be spent helping students through social, emotional and behavioral support. In Mackenzie's case, Shakespeare helps with physical and occupational therapy for the progressive neuromuscular disease she lives with called Friedreich's ataxia. Mackenzie immediately took to Shakespeare and saw firsthand how a trained dog could help her with daily tasks.
“So it wasn't long after Mackenzie started working with Shakespeare that she got the idea in her head that this would be a great thing for her to consider personally at home. Anybody that knows Mackenzie knows when she has something in her mind, she will go for it,” Morgan said.
That “can do” attitude drove the sixth grader to not only start the interview and application process, but become a dedicated Canine Companions volunteer as well.
Mackenzie and her family packed for two weeks to go through the training process on campus. The facility has rooms for individuals and families to stay, so that they can make the most of the time getting to know each other and spending time with the dogs. Once individuals are paired with their canines, the dogs move into their rooms.
Over the course of two weeks, Mackenzie trained intensively with Zinger, learning the commands and techniques that would allow them to work as a team. When not training, she caught up on school work in her room.
“I'm so proud of her. It was a lot more hard work than I think we were even anticipating, very long days, there's a lot of training. The dogs have often been trained for two years before we get them,” said Alwynn Mellen, Mackenzie's mother.
For roughly six months, Zinger and the other service dogs in his graduating class were undergoing training at the facility. The 16 months before that, they lived with their puppy raisers. On graduation day, the puppy raisers return to “officially” hand over the leash to their new human teammate.
Among those in the crowd, beaming with pride: School Counselor Lori Morgan.
“It was really a full-circle moment,” she said. “Watching her go through the process, graduate, and bring Zinger home — it was incredible.”
For Morgan, it was more than just seeing a student succeed. It was witnessing a transformation.
“She took this experience and turned it into an opportunity,” Morgan said. “She didn’t just apply for a service dog — she immersed herself in it, volunteering, learning, and fully embracing what this could mean for her future.”
Five months later, we travelled to Mackenzie's home to see how she and Zinger were getting along. The answer was immediate.
“I don't need my parents to my sister to help me with every little thing. If it's something really big, I'll have them help me, but I don't need them coming from a different room now to help me pick up a pencil or something. I can have him help me, and it's just a new level of independence for me.”
Mackenzie showed off all that she and Zinger can do together. But what she likes most, is snuggling with him on a chair after school. Sometimes her legs hurt. The weight of Zinger actually helps lessen the pain.
Life is better with Zinger, outwardly and inside too.
“Before people saw a girl with a disability. Now, they see a girl and her dog. A team.”
For her parents, the overwhelming feeling about the last five months is gratitude.
“I would just want to say ‘thank you' because it takes so many people to get you to the point of sending a dog home with a family or person who they are going to help. So there are so many steps along the way that I don't think we could ever thank each and every person who has done something for us,” Alwynn said.
For Mackenzie, Zinger represents more than just assistance, he represents everything that's possible.
“I feel overjoyed that he's here,” she said. “He's the best part of my day.”
Canine Companions is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Learn more about how you can make an impact HERE.
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