To the editor:

With joy I read the article “Ranger to the Rescue” and I applaud Assistance Dogs Northwest.

My mother is a paraplegic now, after a horse accident. Over the past 35 years she enjoyed several service dogs. When she was younger she trained her own dogs which provided assistance but most importantly a social ice-breaker. As the article states, the service dog makes the wheelchair disappear. Her recent service dog provided necessary assistance to help her live independently; hauling groceries from the car, retrieving a dropped item and turning on a light switch.

My mother lost her service dog last year to cancer and fears she may never have another. The wait list for a trained service dog to meet her aging needs can be years and she is no longer physically able to train a puppy.

I hope the Maurer’s find a suitable home for their important nonprofit organization. And I hope our island neighbors will become better informed about this organization, its impact on a neighborhood, and welcome them. I am confident their animals will be much less disruptive than say … my dog Leo.

While adorable and fun, our dog has very few other redeeming qualities. And I suspect our neighbors may prefer Assistance Dogs Northwest living next door.

KELLY MACDONALD

Crystal Springs Drive