By HOLLY GASKILL
Indy Wheeler starts every day just like most.
He wakes up with a stretch, gets ready for the day and goes on a morning jog before heading to work. Every day looks a little different, and that’s what makes his work most exciting. Sure, it’s not for everyone, but he loves it.
It helps that he gets to work alongside his boss and best friend, Katie Wheeler.
Wheeler adopted Indy as her service dog this past May. While she has limited mobility in her wheelchair, Indy helps her move through day-to-day activities confidently — from volunteering at the YMCA in Bluffton to running errands or completing classwork.
Indy assists in lots of little ways — like picking up dropped items, helping prop open doors and carrying bags — which make it possible for Wheeler to navigate various environments with greater independence.
“The biggest difference he makes for me is to be able to speak about my needs myself, rather than relying on others to do that,” Wheeler said.
Indy was trained through Canine Companions, an organization that provides service dogs to people with disabilities and to healthcare, criminal justice and educational environments.
When Wheeler was 20, she adopted her first service dog, Valley, from Canine Companions. At that time, Wheeler took Valley to attend classes at Ivy Tech. Valley even received an honorary degree.
The two were together for 12 years before Valley retired. Then, just a few months later, Valley passed away.
The decision to get another service dog did not come easily for Wheeler.
She didn’t want to risk feeling like she was replacing Valley or that their bond was just a working relationship. She felt like she had been so lucky to have a service dog as perfect for her as Valley and that any other relationship would pale in comparison.
Then, the pieces perfectly fell into place for Indy to be paired with Wheeler this past May.
Indy was born in May of 2020 in California, but his breeder named him Indy hoping he would end up at the Indianapolis branch of Canine Companions. As Indy grew older, he was nicknamed the “marketing puppy” for how photogenic he was.
Meanwhile, Wheeler was beginning communications classes online at Southern New Hampshire University with the hopes of going into marketing and public relations. Though uncertain how having another service dog would go, she was encouraged by friends and family to apply again.
At the end of the process, Wheeler and Indy seemed to be the perfect pair. Indy is smaller for his breed and has a calm temperament, which was perfect for Wheeler. However, there’s also a much deeper bond.
Although Indy was never trained to help with panic attacks or emotional support, Wheeler says he has always been able to pick up on the different things she needs. With a gentle paw, look, or by placing his head on her lap, Indy brings Wheeler comfort and support.
For Wheeler, this has been the greatest benefit to her journey and independence.
“I’m very grateful for him because he helps society see me as me and not the chair,” Wheeler said.
Now, after all that Canine Companions has given her, Wheeler is hoping to give back by sharing her story.
This fall, Wheeler will be completing an internship with the organization, where her main project will be to create a promotional video about Canine Companions.
For the video, Wheeler will be touring different locations in Indianapolis with Indy, speaking about her experience and interviewing several people about disability services, including her university president, Paul LeBlanc.
“The fact that they’re letting me do this as a graduate (from the program) is an extreme honor,” Wheeler said. “It’s really rare to be able to do this, so I’m just blown away.”
Beyond her internship, Wheeler hopes to continue to use her knack for communication to educate others and advocate for disability services. And wherever that leads her, Indy is sure to follow, wagging along the way.
holly@news-banner.com
