Marine Corps veteran James Poggi served in aviation, and his body carries the record: five back surgeries and a below-the-knee amputation. He describes the hardest change plainly, going from six foot three and 250 pounds to relying on wheelchairs, walkers, and mobility devices. His wife, who is also his caregiver, suggested a service dog, which led him to Teddy, a Goldendoodle trained at Dog Training Elite St. Louis.
Teddy’s work looks small from the outside and feels enormous from the inside. He retrieves dropped items like keys and phones and helps Poggi carry things day to day. Poggi says his love for Teddy ranks right up there with his children, which says plenty about the bond.
The bigger picture matters for veterans across the Suncoast. A 2024 study linked service dogs to lower anxiety and depression rates in veterans with PTSD, and about four in ten veterans surveyed still have never had one. Since the VA does not provide service dogs for mental health conditions, a private donor grant now covers 30 percent of training costs for 10 veterans or active military members. Poggi, meanwhile, plans to return full-time as a school crossing guard in Mascoutah with Teddy beside him. Do you know a local veteran who could use a program like this?
