MEDIA ALERT
For Release: August 27, 2021 Contact: Carol Edwards, Executive Director, 925-349-5190, CEdwards@EarlyAlertCanines.org
Early Alert Canines Celebrates 10 Years of Placing Life-Saving Dogs Early Alert Canines trains and provides Medical Alert Service Dogs to insulin-dependent diabetics.
Concord, California, August 27, 2021 – This past weekend, the staff, friends, clients, and dogs of Early Alert Canines (EAC) celebrated the organization's tenth anniversary and ribbon-cutting ceremony with The Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce. EAC's mission is to improve the health, safety, and wellbeing of insulin-dependent diabetics through partnerships with certified low blood sugar alert dogs. Gathering safely outside EAC's Concord, CA training facility, the happy, healthy human-canine teams in attendance were a testament to the organization's success. EAC places dogs throughout California, Washington, Oregon, and Nevada.
Ms. Carol Edwards founded EAC in response to a growing need for Diabetic Alert Service Dogs and a particularly unmet need for families with young diabetic children. EAC trains two classes of Diabetic Alert Dogs: Full-Access Service Dogs and Skilled Companion Dogs. While all dogs receive the same specialized scent and alert training, EAC specializes in the unique human component. They educate, train, and provide long-term support for the dogs and the people who partner with them. EAC has a dedicated staff and over 75 volunteers who provide administrative support, foster homes, grooming, exercise, transportation, and daily feedings. Early Alert Canines offers ongoing training and re-certification that is crucial for long-term success.
Reflecting on ten years of service, Edwards said, “This milestone is quite emotional for many reasons. We are proud to celebrate the accomplishments of the past decade. Thanks to the bravery of our clients, the loving care of our dogs, and the generosity of our donors and partners, we continue to transform the quality of life for our clients and, in many cases, save their lives! We are grateful that our organization persisted despite the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which we continue to navigate cautiously. We look to the future with a renewed sense of hope and enthusiasm.”
Early Alert Canines trains dogs to alert people with diabetes, who are insulin-dependent, when they detect low or dropping blood glucose levels. Timely treatment of low glucose episodes not only enhances safety but also improves overall blood glucose control. The dog will alert a person with diabetes to an impending shift in their blood glucose levels, thereby allowing them plenty of time to ascertain the urgency of the problem and take the necessary precautions or treatment. An early alert to shifts in blood sugar is a significant relief to diabetics and parents of diabetics struggling to identify such changes before they result in uncomfortable symptoms and eventual debilitation. It is an invaluable tool in a diabetic's effort to achieve and obtain optimal blood sugar levels and, in many cases, serves as a life-saving warning. An Early Alert Canine will alert in any location, under nearly any circumstances, and even wake their diabetic partners in the middle of the night if necessary.
Adding to the celebration, Melissa Rea, Director of Operations & Marketing at The Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce, facilitated a ribbon-cutting ceremony and formally welcomed EAC as a new member. EAC also received recognition from Senator Steve Glazer, D-Contra Costa, Contra Costa County District 4 Supervisor Karen Mitchoff and The City of Concord. “The Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce is happy to celebrate a milestone anniversary of 10 years for Early Alert Canines. Concord is home to many established and productive organizations, and it is great knowing we have one in our backyard that helps improve the health and wellness of those who are insulin-dependent,” said Rea.
Edwards shares, “Now, more than ever, we are focused on educating the community about our mission, inviting them to become advocates and grow support for our organization. EAC relies upon the generosity of our donors and volunteers. We know that when we partner with one another, we make the world a better place. We invite the public to stay connected by signing up for our monthly e-newsletters, our text-to-connect program, and engaging with us on Social Media. With the continued support of our community and dogs, we will thrive.”
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About Early Alert Canines: Early Alert Canines (EAC), operates out of its training facility in Concord, CA, and places dogs with insulin-dependent diabetics living in CA, OR, WA, and NV. EAC trains "Diabetes Alert Dogs" (DADs) to recognize the biochemical scent that the body emits as blood glucose levels begin to change, allowing their human partner to avoid dangerous hypoglycemia events and long-term diabetes complications. EAC dogs keep clients’ blood glucose levels in better control, often beating the best glucose monitoring technology on the market by as much as 30 minutes. By the end of August 2021, they will have placed 68 Medical Alert Service Dogs, partnering about half of them with children and teens under 18. EAC works in partnership with Canine Companions and Guide Dogs for the Blind, which serve as their primary source of career change dogs participating in their program. EAC is an accredited member of Assistance Dogs International (ADI). For more information, visit www.EarlyAlertCanines.org or connect on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.