Behind the Leash: A Day with Elaine Starks

Executive director of Power Paws Assistance Dogs

6:30 A.M. >> WAKING TO WHISKERS

My significant other, Kevin, brings me coffee to start my day while my dog, Leonard, puts his face right up against mine to see if I’m awake. After I’ve had coffee and Leonard has his breakfast, I check my schedule for the day.

As long-distance caregiver for my 94-year-old mom, I talk to her on the phone every day, and it’s something I look forward to. She lives in Chicago and talks to me when it’s convenient for her. If she’s watching television, she will not answer the phone and ghosts me! Serving in an executive role at Power Paws has provided me the focus and strength needed to manage both responsibilities.

10 A.M. >> TAIL-WAGGING IMPACT

Power Paws is one of two service dog training agencies in Arizona accredited by Assistance Dogs International. ADI has worked with correctional facilities on training service dogs for 24 years. Ninety-nine percent of dogs trained using ADI’s outline and curriculum are placed into service. In 2019, I started to look for correctional facilities that would engage with Power Paws, and in November 2024, we began working with female inmates at Perryville. This program will increase Power Paws’ capacity to train and place service dogs by approximately 400 percent.

The dogs are housed at Perryville in a dormitory-like setting. Our trainers are on-site twice a week, and the inmates are assigned tasks for the remaining days, allowing the dogs to receive about 15 hours of training a day. The engagement and return on investment for both Power Paws and the inmates have been huge, and I’ve seen the animal-human interaction play out in a way that’s just stunning.

11:30 A.M. >> PUPPY LOVE

I intentionally outline components that will build our capacity. We need more trainers and volunteers, so I’ve started working with Arizona Workforce Development to post jobs for those interested in service dog training programs. Once a month, there is a meeting of employers and prospective employees, where we talk about our job prospects. This is a good pipeline for people seeking employment who don’t know where to look.

It boils down to the more volunteers we have to train service dogs, the more dogs we can place. We now have a more structured program that includes training that has been compacted into a focused process every day. Streamlining the training puts each dog on a 12-to-16-month trajectory of being ready to be placed as a service dog or a companion animal.

1 P.M. >> FETCHING SUPPORT

I spend the majority of my time fundraising, which is more than just writing a grant. It’s about relationships with those who have supported us in the past, funding we’ll look for in the future and maintaining relationships with those currently providing support. Power Paws makes sure we can show donors the return on their investment.

I meet with volunteers and companies to help us with our program. I’ve recently requested financial support to build a small satellite Power Paws at Perryville that includes a workroom, administrative office and playground for our dogs.

2:15 P.M. >> PAWSITIVE PARTNERSHIPS

We have recently expanded our program to include training shelter dogs as service dogs or placing them as companion animals. Our first partner is the Arizona Animal Welfare League, and we have plans to partner with Almost There Rescue and Maricopa County shelters in the future. We are moving dogs out of shelters into forever homes by providing them with the tools that make them good canine citizens.

This spring, we are launching a simulated clinical setting as part of a program at Midwestern University. Students across 12 disciplines will learn about the importance of service dogs and how a healthcare professional can engage with a patient who has a service animal.

5 P.M. >> POWERING DOWN

I always watch world and local news when I get home. I enjoy travel but haven’t had a vacation in five years. I am making plans to visit Napa, Italy and Scotland this year. I power down and watch TV with Leonard. I am passionate about old movies, “The Gilded Age” and have a subscription to BBC TV. After a few hours of watching TV, Leonard brings out his toy for a little tug time. Then it’s lights out for him, and I continue to watch movies until I fall asleep.

To learn more, go to azpowerpaws.org.