Maher Duessel Partners with Susquehanna Service Dogs to Name an Assistance Dog

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 22, 2021

 

For more information, contact:

Kris Weaver
Keystone Human Services
[email protected]
717-232-7509

Rachelle Ogun
Maher Duessel
[email protected]
412-535-5550

Maher Duessel Partners with Susquehanna Service Dogs to Name an Assistance Dog

(Harrisburg, PA, July 22, 2021) Maher Duessel and Susquehanna Service Dogs (SSD), a program of Keystone Human Services, are pleased to announce a partnership to name an assistance dog. The assistance dog in training, SSD Saly, (pronounced ‘Sally’) is a black Labrador retriever whose name comes from a common auditing phrase, “SALY – Same As Last Year.”

SSD SalyEach dog Susquehanna Service Dogs places is individually trained to mitigate their partner’s disability and enhance their life. Dogs can assist people with physical disabilities that impact mobility or balance, as well as people with psychiatric disabilities, autism, PTSD, and seizure disorders. SSD also trains hearing dogs to assist people with hearing impairments, as well as facility dogs.

Training starts from the moment a dog is born to set them up for future success. SSD Saly will spend the next 15-18 months with her puppy raiser, who will teach her good house manners, self-control, and over 20 different foundational cues. Saly will then enter Advanced Training, where SSD’s professional trainers will match her with her partner and individually train her in specific tasks specially designed for her partner’s unique needs.

“We are delighted to help SSD in support of this important program that benefits so many in our community.  We are excited to see how Saly progresses and develops in the coming months as we have many dog owners and enthusiasts in our offices!” says Lisa Ritter, CPA, CFE, CITP, a partner at Maher Duessel.

“We’re very happy to partner with Maher Duessel,” says Deb Tack, SSD’s Director. “It takes a community to raise, train, and place assistance dogs. Dogs like Saly grow up to change lives, helping people do things they never thought were possible.”

Susquehanna Service Dogs is a program of Keystone Human Services and has been breeding, raising, training, and placing assistance dogs in Pennsylvania and the surrounding states since 1993. SSD is an accredited member of Assistance Dogs International.

Maher Duessel is a CPA firm that provides audit, tax, and consulting services to non-profits and governments. In business for over 30 years, Maher Duessel is based in Pennsylvania with six office locations, including Harrisburg and Lancaster.