Koozie Group (PPAI 114187, Platinum) – the No. 9 supplier in the PPAI 100 – has announced the graduation of the first service dog from its sponsored litter with charity 4 Paws for Ability.

The Clearwater, Florida-based company has been supporting 4 Paws for Ability since 2022 by donating 1% of stock plush sales referencing a special code to the charity.

  • The giveback was started by IMAGEN Brands before it integrated into the Koozie Group® portfolio.

‘Inseparable Team’

Rose, trained as a multi-purpose service dog with specific task training for behavior disruption and seizure/scent alert, was matched with Emmy, a 10-year-old from Florida.

  • The two met on December 4 and worked together to graduate as a service dog team on December 13.
  • Rose is joining a busy household that includes Emmy, her parents, three siblings, 18 chickens, four goats and a working livestock guardian dog.

“We’re honored to have played a small part in Rose becoming a service dog and are thrilled she and Emmy are already an inseparable team,” says Trisha Joyce, employee engagement and communications manager at Koozie Group. “We look forward to continuing to support 4 Paws for Ability’s mission, and we thank all our distributors who have helped us make an impact by designating our reference code on their stock plush orders.”

We’re honored to have played a small part in Rose becoming a service dog and are thrilled she and Emmy are already an inseparable team.”

Trisha Joyce

Employee Engagement & Communications Manager, Koozie Group

Emmy’s mother says that Rose has already made an extraordinary difference in her daughter’s life. “Emmy is on the autism spectrum and, at first, didn’t want Rose to sleep in her bed,” she says. “But by the second night – on a small twin bed, no less – Emmy was snuggling with Rose and even enjoying the deep pressure therapy of Rose lying across her legs. It’s incredible to see Emmy bond so quickly, especially since she typically dislikes being touched.

Most of Emmy’s seizures happen while she’s sleeping, and Rose is already showing great success in her seizure alert training. Emmy loves showing off ‘her dog,’ and Rose is helping bridge social gaps that often come with autism.”

Six dogs from the litter sponsored by Koozie Group are still in advanced training.

  • Two are now “Fabulous Flunkies,” the term of endearment given to dogs who don’t master the skills needed to become service dogs and have been adopted by their volunteer trainers.