Brittany Hawley, a 25-year-old woman from North Carolina, has been wheelchair-bound due to a chronic neurological disease. She sought a service dog to assist her with daily tasks and ended up meeting Griffin through the ‘paws4prison’ program. This initiative teaches West Virginia prison inmates to train high-level assistance dogs. Hawley shared that the dogs were permitted to approach her, and Griffin chose her immediately despite some dogs being afraid of the wheelchair. He jumped onto her lap and gave her a warm welcome, and they have been inseparable ever since.
Not long ago, Hawley successfully earned a master’s degree in occupational therapy from Clarkson University. The occasion was extra special because her faithful companion Griffin was awarded an honorary diploma for his unwavering support throughout Hawley’s academic journey.
Griffin played an essential role in assisting Hawley with a variety of tasks. He accompanied her to classes, fetched her phone, and actively participated in community activities, social groups, and research projects with her. During her internship at Fort Bragg, he even provided support. The board of trustees acknowledged Griffin’s extraordinary effort, steadfast commitment, and diligent dedication to student success in awarding him for his contribution to Hawley’s achievement. Hawley proudly stated that she had urged him to graduate from Day One, and he had done everything she did. Together, they assisted soldiers with physical immobility and psycho-social disorders, with patients becoming so accustomed to Griffin that they considered him a co-therapist whenever they mentioned Hawley as their therapist.
Hawley relies on Griffin to help her with various physical tasks every day, like opening doors, turning on lights, and fetching items she points to using a laser pointer. Griffin is also a source of comfort and support for Hawley when she’s feeling anxious or depressed due to her chronic pain. As a service dog, Griffin has been specifically trained to assist and provide comfort to those with disabilities or other qualifying conditions.
