HERE ARE SOME EXCERPTS FROM HER INTERVIEW:


"God made me walk with a dog and I like walking with a dog. You know what? We don't walk, we strut," she said recently.

A lot has changed since Danielle entered her second-grade classroom with her first aid-dog Walker, an Australian shepherd/bearded collie mix....When Walker died in August at age 12, Danielle was devastated. The family had been searching for a year for another dog so that when the time came they were prepared.

Now 15 years old, Danielle said her peers at school certainly notice Rover, a 2½-year-old golden retriever...While Rover has made life infinitely better for Danielle, the transition between the two dogs was difficult....The 2-week boot camp Danielle went through with disabled war veterans and their service dogs was intense.

...The bond between a service dog and its owner is strong. The dogs are more than crutches, they are pets. They sleep together, eat together, and develop a mutual respect and love for each other.

...With Rover sleeping at her feet, Walker's ashes were kept lovingly in a platinum bone pendent hanging from a silver chain around her neck.

Danielle said there is a spiritual connection between the two dogs. Walker entered her life on April 13, 2001; Rover was born on April 13, 2007.

"It is a sign," she said, smiling as she massaged Rover's soft nose that was resting on her legs.