66
service dogs provided
since 2013
OUR MISSION:
SERVICE DOGS FOR DISABLED VETS
We provide service dogs to disabled Texas Veterans at no cost to effect physical & emotional recovery and grant them their well-earned independence.
THE VA DOGS OPERATION
Recruit board members with passion, ability and integrity.
VA Dogs was originally incorporated in May of 2013, operating as a DBA for Kerrville Elks Charities Inc. Then, in May of 2017, VA Dogs then filed for its articles of incorporation and incorporated independently. Meet our current team members below!
Obtain sufficient funding.
The dogs are trained and provided to the Veterans at no cost. If we have the necessary funds, we can train and pair service dogs for 16 Veterans a year. If you’d like to support our mission, we’d appreciate your donations!
Partner with world-class trainers.
We have partnered with Hill Country Dog Center near Bandera, TX to provide kenneling, care, and training. Our trainers are themselves military Veterans, and they are world-class trainers, having trained many thousands of dogs for the military and law enforcement.
Provide effective access for Veterans to our program.
These veterans receive no assistance from the Veterans Administration to receive a service dog, and Veterans Assistance Dogs of Texas has no affiliation with the Veterans Administration.
Obtain appropriate rescue dogs to be trained.
We ensure that our dogs receive the veterinary and other care that they need, including necessary surgery. Training for a single dog averages about 6 months.
Match the right dog with each Veteran.
These veterans are suffering from physical disabilities, traumatic injuries, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Military Sexual Trauma (MST), diabetes, or a combination of these disabilities. The dogs receive training specific to the needs our their veteran.
Follow up with our Veteran & dog teams.
We follow up with the Veterans after training to make sure things are progressing well and to assist with follow-up training when needed.
We continuously observe the tremendous joy from the bond shared between dog and Vet and the way the dogs enhance the quality of life for the Veterans and their families.
Many of the Veterans we serve have reported that their service dog has saved their life in an emergency situation.
OUR TRAINING PARTNERS
TRAINING THE DOGS
PHASE 1: BASIC TRAINING
The dog learns obedience.
PHASE 2: PUBLIC ACCESS
The dog learns to be obedient in public environments when controlled by a qualified dog handler.
PHASE 3: SPECIALTY TASKS
Customized to the individual needs of its’ Veteran and includes retrieving items and help with mobility issues like pulling a wheelchair.
TRAINING THE VETERAN
CLASSES
Classes are typically held for four consecutive weekends.
COHORTS
Our cohorts typically contain between 3 and 6 dogs and veterans.
Board of Directors
Larry Pottridge
Executive Director
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Attended Harbor College in Harbor City, California. Worked as an assistant shipping and receiving clerk for California Originals, Inc., while attending college. Worked as a Teamster loading and unloading freight for IML Freight, Inc. Became a driver and went on to be a Terminal Manager, managing their Harbor satellite terminal at the Los Angeles Harbor, Wilmington, CA.
Manager for State Government with the Iowa Department of Transportation – Managed multi-million-dollar projects in highway construction and highway infrastructure construction. Managed a crew of 33 equipment operators, 3 maintenance facilities, 3 mechanics, budget of 2.2 million dollars, 550 lane miles of state highways including 120 lane miles of interstate, and ¾ of a million dollars of equipment.
Instrumental, along with 11 other employees, in the develop of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI), a management program for the Iowa Department of Transportation. Management consultant, facilitator and trainer in (CQI) with the state of Iowa.
One of the facilities I was responsible for was selected, along with 11 other facilities, by the Federal Highway Administration to test and evaluate the use of salt brine for snow removal on I-35 south of Des Moines, IA. As a result, the Iowa Department of Transportation Highway Division was recognized as one of the leaders in new innovation in snow removal technology.
District Commissioner for Amateur Softball Association (ASA). Managed state softball tournaments. Certified ASA Umpires.
Manager and player of a men’s softball team which finished 2nd in state tournaments, 3 years running. Manager and player of a men’s softball team which was invited to compete in the National ASA Men’s Over 35 Softball Tournament at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, IA. Invited to compete in two other years.
Volunteer and Director of Development for Veterans Assistance Dogs of Texas, Inc. – Instrumental, along with current board members, in its development from early 2014 to December of 2020, then again from November 01, 2022 until present. Became Executive Director June 01, 2023.
A.D. “Buz” Dunaway
Accounting Manager, Treasurer, Vice President
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Buz started his career in 1976 as an Employee of a national firm providing accounting and management consulting services to small business owners in the Houston area. He became the Branch Manager of the Houston office in 1980 before purchasing the operation to become a Franchisee in 1985. He has developed and presented multi day seminars on small business management for major oil companies and other national franchisors while providing services to clients in the Houston Area, many of which he still has today.
Buz has served on several boards in the past including the E.K. Williams & Co Franchisee Advisory Board, the Indigo Ranch HOA as both Chairman and head of the Architectural Control Committee. He was also active in the Northgate Country Club Men’s Golf Association as long time board member and President.
In 2008 he and his wife Kathy purchased land in Kerrville and moved to Kerrville permanently in 2012. He became aware of VA Dogs of Texas in 2014, and was asked to join the Board of Directors as Treasurer in 2015.
“As a lifetime dog lover, it was rewarding to join an organization with the goal of rescuing dogs, training them to become service dogs and providing them to disabled Veterans who can benefit greatly from our program. It is an honor for me to help guide the tremendous growth of this organization to provide the maximum benefit possible to our Veteran population in the Hill Country Area and throughout Texas.”
James “Don” Vaughan
Secretary
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Don attended Amarillo Jr. College then West Texas State College where he received his B.S. in Economics. At Texas Technological College he studied Economics/ English/ and Survey Research. At the University of Texas at Austin he studied Community and Regional Planning/Regional Economics and was named AIP Planning Student of the Year.
As Research Coordinator for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Don worked with consultants in a statewide survey of individuals’ recreation participation and preferences and utilized that data to develop proposal for federal funding.
As Vice President for Economic Studies at Urban Research Group (a private consulting firm) Don conducted a national evaluation of the Department of Labor Migrant Worker Program, numerous housing supply/condition studies and several Economic Development programs including one for the city of El Paso.
At the Texas Department of Human Resources Don served as Director of in-house Management Analysis group where he surveyed activities of field staff to determine time allocations of staff to various Federal funding programs, conducted studies to improve operations along with cost/benefit studies to support funding requests.
In his final career move, Don was Director of in-house Management and Support and later Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Management and Support at the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. He developed facility funding formulas for State Schools and Hospitals, developed commercial leases for surplus Austin State Hospital grounds and centralized drug purchasing and testing. Don and his wife retired to Kerrville in 2001.
Horizon HOA Board – Six years including positions as President and Vice-President.
Ranch Management Committee – Served as chair for seven years – responsible for the health and safety of exotic herds and reporting to the local tax appraiser’s office.
Veterans Assistance Dogs of Texas – Secretary
Jerry W. Ashby
Chairman of the Board
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Born and raised in Texas, Jerry received his B.S. from East Texas State University in 1968, and followed with a J.D. from Southern Methodist University School of Law in 1974.
He completed U.S. Navy OCS and commissioned Ensign in U.S. Navy Reserve October 22, 1969. Three years active duty in Western Pacific amphibious navy; primary assignment – operations in Vietnam.
Jerry Separated from active duty October 22, 1972. He achieved rank of Lieutenant in U.S. Navy Reserve. During his law career, Jerry was Associate General Counsel with DuPont and Assistant General Counsel with Conoco. He departed Conoco in 2004 for retirement in Kerrville.
Horizon Owners Association since 2007
Cailloux Humane Society animal shelter board since 2016
Veterans Assistance Dogs of Texas board since 2018
Caleb Owens
Director of Training
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Mr. Owens began his career with dogs while in the United States Marine Corps where he worked Military Working Dogs. His duty stations were Okinawa, Japan and Lackland Air Force Base. While in Okinawa, he was a dog handler and also held many training billets, where his primary emphasis was off-leash, explosive detection dogs. He then took his career to Lackland Air Force Base to train Military Working Dogs for the Department of Defense. After completing his enlistment with the Marine Corps, he began working as a trainer at Hill Country Dog Center. He has worked there ever since training police, government, and security dogs as well as maintaining the title of lead instructor for the police dog programs. Caleb also trains house and ranch dogs for private families.
Mr. Owens is an evaluator for TSA’s Third-Party Canine – Cargo Screening program, where he evaluates and certifies explosive detection dogs for cargo companies.
Caleb has worked with Veterans Assistance Dogs of Texas since 2019. Caleb was recently promoted to Director of Canine Training where he trains service dogs for outstanding quality veterans. He has ensured quality control of the dog selection process, training program, and the veteran handler course.
In his personal time, Caleb enjoys training and working hunting dogs, primarily his own Labrador named Ranger.
Sarah Kocurek
Veteran Liason
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Sarah grew up being around a very committed advocate for the welfare of Veterans, her Dad Alan Hill. Alan was a Viet Nam Veteran who was associated with the Hill Country Veteran Center (HCVC) of Kerrville, TX. We lost Alan a few years ago so Sarah took over as the Executive Director of HCVC. Sarah is also a Veteran Service Officer (VSO) for the Department of Defense in Kerr County.
We are lucky to have Sarah as our Veteran Liaison. Her experience and contacts are a perfect match for finding the qualified Veterans needed in our program.