Meet Kelly – Director of The Service Dog Connection

In addition to flying passengers to their far-off medical care, Angel Flight West provides services for other compelling needs, including flights for service dogs.

Meet Kelly Sosa, Founder, Trainer, Executive Director of The Service Dog Connection?

Q + A?

Q: Could you tell us about your current occupation? How long have you been working in this position? Why did you become interested in your field? ??

I am the founder of The Service Dog Connection.? I started The Service Dog Connection in 2019, but have been part of the service dog industry for 20 years now.? Our program specializes in raising and training service dogs for individuals with Autism, Psychiatric disabilities, mobility impairments and medical conditions.? We also train and place therapy dogs to reduce the rates of PTSD among the first responder communities.? We rely heavily on community support to help fund veterinary care and supplies, and volunteers that help raise and socialize our service dogs in training.??

Q: How did you hear about Angel Flight West? When did you start requesting flights with AFW? ??

Recently we were contacted by Julia of Angel Flight West to see if we needed help transporting dogs. I had heard of Angel Flight West helping our friends at Silver State Service Dogs but wasn’t clear on how it all worked.? When Julia reached out and explained how it all worked, I was so excited to move forward with a partnership. Our volunteer puppy raisers and applicants are all over the Western United States, and being able to use Angel Flight West to connect our dogs with their people has been so wonderful.

Q: How have your experiences requesting flights from AFW been??Without naming patients (if applicable), have there been any particularly impactful experiences that you have had that you would like to share??? ?

Last month we had a particularly moving experience with them transporting First Responder Therapy Dog, Guillermo.? This sweet 160-pound gentle giant was not the easiest dog to transport just based on his size, and we had to get him all the way from Oregon to Arizona.?The flight was split up into three legs, but when the third leg of the flight was canceled due to severe weather hazards, the pilot of leg two (a former First Responder himself) offered to fly Guillermo to his home in Las Vegas and then drive him an additional four-and-a-half hours all the way to Flagstaff.? The care and dedication of all of the pilots involved was absolutely heartwarming.???

Q: What would you want other healthcare workers or nonprofit partners to know about AFW? ?? ?

I don’t think most people realize this service is even available, and it can really open up a lot of possibilities for people to get the medical support they deserve, whether that is care at a medical facility or receiving a service dog that aids in their independence.?

Angel Flight West is also thrilled to partner with the National Search and Rescue Dog Foundation in Santa Paula, Calif. and Silver State Silver Dogs.

If you're a healthcare worker or nonprofit professional and want to learn more about requesting flights, please visit our website or call us at (310) 390-2958. You can also email our team at [email protected].?