Page 83 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2023 - Online Magazine

FIRST RESPONDERS

and you see a human enter with a something was still off. Stratton’s two service walk on Monday, where he
dog that is not clearly identified as a biggest loves in life were fetching balls was greeted by several humans who
service dog, under the ADA you can tirelessly and keeping a watchful eye were impacted by him, had memories
only ask the following two questions: on Alex. When he showed no interest and stories to share, and a ball to fetch
Is the dog a service animal required in playing with the ball and became from the man himself. Stratton went to
because of a disability? What work more withdrawn from Alex, she knew every person present to let them throw
or task has the dog been trained to something was seriously wrong. the ball for him one last time before
perform? You cannot request the he walked himself into the vet clinic.
human provide documentation that The next day, after a subsequent vet He passed peacefully in a beautiful
the dog is registered, licensed, or appointment, further diagnostics garden about an hour later.
certified as a service animal, nor can showed that Stratton had spleen
you require that the dog show the cancer, which had likely been growing So today we highlight and salute the
task it is trained to perform or inquire and metastasizing. Unbeknownst to service of Stratton Crane, for his years
about the nature of the human’s Alex, it was likely that Stratton was of serving and caring for Alex, and
disability. working for months with a hidden, for all the service dogs out there who
terminal diagnosis because of his protect and serve their owners.
On Thursday, September 21, Stratton selfless devotion to taking care of
began showing symptoms of fatigue, her. Alex made the heartbreaking Stratton’s end of service: Monday,
distress, pain, and dehydration, and compassionate decision to let September 25, 2023, 4:57pm/1657
seemingly overnight. Alex Stratton cross the rainbow bridge, hours.
immediately took him to the vet who, before he declined even further. After
after no immediate findings, ordered a weekend of unlimited Milk Bones, For more information about service
a regimen to manage his symptoms. love from his grandparents, and an dogs, visit https://www.ada.gov/
A few hours later, Stratton began to end-of-life photoshoot with lots of topics/service-animals/
perk up and act more like himself, but ball fetching, Stratton took his final

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