Our Mission...
...all started with a rescue puppy for a purpose!
Freyja and Andrew's Story
In early 2023, Andrew Rapozo found himself in need of a PTSD service dog. With no local resources available and unable to travel by air, Andrew and his wife, Debby, decided to take matters into their own hands. They set out to find a puppy and committed themselves to training the dog to support Andrew’s needs.
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At a local Underdog Animal Rescue adoption event, one female puppy immediately caught Andrew’s attention. That day, Freyja joined their family—and began a journey that would change far more lives than they ever imagined.
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As word spread about what Andrew and Debby were doing, they discovered that many other veterans in their area were facing the same challenges and lacked access to trained service dogs. One evening, Debby approached Andrew with an idea: what if they turned their experience into something that could help others?
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Several months later, that idea became reality. Collar of Duty was formed, and the mission to support veterans through purpose-trained service dogs began.
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​Now, together with their all-volunteer team, they are dedicated to helping United States Military Veterans obtain trained service dogs in Mesa County, Colorado. These service dogs are rescues from reputable rescue organizations trained by our Board-selected trainer to meet the Veteran's specific needs and pass the American Kennel Club Good Citizen Test.
WHY CHOOSE COLLAR OF DUTY?
At Collar of Duty, we are dedicated to providing support to our Veterans through the life-changing impact of service dogs. Our commitment to the well-being of Veterans drives us to ensure a seamless and effective process of matching and training service dogs to meet the unique needs of each Veteran.
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We ensure that each task the dog needs to perform is tailored to the Veteran's disabilities. For example, if the dog has been trained to sense an anxiety attack is about to happen, it takes a specific action to help avoid the attack or lessen its impact.
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Who We Serve​
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The term "veteran" means a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable. This definition, which we follow, can be found in Determining Veteran Status under Veterans Affairs.
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About The Americans with Disability Act (ADA):
Under the ADA, Veterans can be asked if the dog is a service animal required because of a disability, and /or what work or task the dog has been trained to perform. While Collar of Duty requires documentation to verify a Veteran's disability for training purposes, under ADA law, Veterans are not required to provide such documentation for their service dog to accompany them. It is important to note that service dogs are not simply emotional support animals but are considered medical equipment and are protected under ADA law. For more information, please visit ADA.gov.