Story by Rebecca West
You may have seen him in the news or on social media decked out in his lab gear. The images have melted hearts around the world. A sweet-faced golden retriever with a temperament to match, Sampson, the science service dog, became a trailblazer among service canines when his person/handler, Joey Ramp-Adams, neuroscientist and inclusion advocate living in Sierra Vista, lobbied to have him accompany her into clinical settings while pursuing a career in biomedicine.
Ramp-Adams, who formerly worked with horses, suffered a traumatic brain injury, broken bones, and permanent nerve damage back in 2006 while performing her job as an equestrian trainer. As a result, she required the aid of a service dog to help her navigate life as it presented itself. After an initial pairing with a dog named Theo, she faced the need to replace him with another pup when he needed to retire early. Paws Giving Independence (PGI) in Illinois, a service dog training organization, was there to help.
“The transition is very difficult,” noted Ramp-Adams. “I was lucky in that I got Sampson within three weeks of Theo’s retirement. I was living there, attending the University of Illinois, and studying neuroscience. I’d experienced a lot of issues and had to advocate for the ability to have a service dog due to lab work. I lucked out, but it took about nine months to click, and the partnership took time to develop. Sampson was 18 months old then and had been training since he was 8 weeks old.”
While they are able to communicate silently now without the need for words, Sampson knows more than 245 commands to help her manage her injury and mobility issues. His abilities include alerting her when she’s overly stressed and retrieving her medications along with a bottle of water when needed.
“Basic obedience was taught by PGI, and some of the commands a service dog would need to know, but I spent nearly nine months training him for lab work. He had to learn to differentiate to pick up stuff off the ground but not in the lab. Medical alert movements also needed to be learned. But the biggest adjustment was learning to discern between outside commands vs. lab-related commands.
“Slight adjustments need to be made for every service dog owner to their specific needs vs. foundation training learned from the organization the animals come from. They need to be observant at all times to do their jobs and can’t be distracted. Even the slightest distraction could lead to disaster.”
This was crucial for Ramp-Adams to pursue her degree in neuroscience with a mind toward helping others recovering from traumatic brain injuries. “I encountered challenges while trying to bring Sampson into labs and clinical spaces over concerns about contamination and basic dog behavior, but by him wearing personal protective equipment and his training, I proved he could safely be allowed to accompany me.”
Since then, the two have advocated for service dog handlers in science and have made it their mission to educate lawmakers in Congress on removing barriers for others. She developed Empower Ability Consulting for individuals, businesses, and educational institutions. Specializing in disability-related transitions into academics and industry with a particular focus on service dog access and education, her services include one-on-one mentorship. As it stands, Sampson is the ambassador for all service dogs in science.
Enter the American Humane Hero Dog Awards, an annual competition recognizing America’s standout dogs and Sampson’s recent win in the service dog category. Each year, hundreds of dogs are nominated nationwide to compete in five divisions. They are Law Enforcement and First Responder Dogs, Service and Guide or Hearing Dogs, Therapy Dogs, Military Dogs, and
Emerging Hero and Shelter Dogs. There are five semi-finalists in each of the categories who are then voted on by the public.
“This is one of the most special and inspiring groups yet,” president of American Humane, Robin Ganzert, shared with USA TODAY. “All five of these courageous canines epitomize the resiliency, selflessness, and unconditional love that we are looking for in America’s next top dog. We are proud to shine a spotlight on these unsung heroes who are too often overlooked.”
Sampson and Joey will be attending the awards ceremony gala this January in Palm Beach, Florida, to be presented with his award. Now 11, he was retired recently, so he can spend his golden years officially off duty. His replacement is a 2-year-old black Lab named Pax Bellator, Latin for peace warrior, who also came from PGI. According to Ramp-Adams, he and Sam are best friends and have a symbiotic relationship.
When asked what she’d tell others who might be considering a service dog, her answer was, “Make sure to research the organization you’re going to work with and make sure it’s workable for you. In public, the relationship is harder than it looks. Be prepared for dealing with the public and facilities. Having a working dog is life-changing. Theo brought me out of the darkness, but Sam kept me in the light. He was the catalyst and my partner and the reason I am able to do what I do now. He’s an inspiration to me and people around the world.”
Ramp-Adams has a book coming out this Spring entitled Insistent, published by Morgan James Publishing. It’s about the journey she’s been on since her devastating injury up until today and will be available in all major bookstores.
Visit empowerabilityconsulting.com or scienceservicedog.com to learn more.
