Diane Burns says her whole life changed the day she met her companion Orey.

"I went from being sick and incapacitated every month or two to basically being status quo," she says. "He has just been a blessing."

Orey, a 7-year-old golden retriever, is Ms. Burns' service dog, which she has had for about five years.

The dog came to Ms. Burns after graduating from Canine Companions for Independence, a 28-year-old national, nonprofit organization that trains dogs to live as assistants for people living with physical and/or developmental disabilities.

Ms. Burns, who has multiple sclerosis and uses a motorized wheelchair for mobility, says after seeing a commercial for CCI, she knew she needed to get one of those animals.

"I said 'I want one of those!' and that started the whole process," she accounts.

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