Shane Jackson and his German Shepherd, Jersey, relaxing on the back porch of his Flint, Michigan, home.
Photo by LAURA MCDERMOTT/SPECIAL TO THE RECORD
In May 2014, Jersey the German Shepherd was rescued along with 28 other dogs from a veterinary hospital in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, but he has now taken on an important role in the life of a Michigan man. After being trained by Ohio-based Dogs 4 Warriors, Jersey became a service dog, helping an Iraq war veteran through anxiety attacks, nightmares, and feelings of road rage:
“I get out a lot more than I used to,” said [Shane] Jackson, 46. “I used to sit at home, because I didn’t want to deal with people. … I’m with him all day every day and all night every night. … I probably would be devastated if something happens to him.”
It’s yet another example of a dog’s endless capacity for love and loyalty.