From campus to companion: UK student prepares service dog for life-changing role

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 22, 2025) — Spotting dogs in training around the University of Kentucky campus has become a familiar and heartwarming sight. But behind each wagging tail is a student handler helping prepare a future service dog for a life-changing role.

Through UK's branch of 4 Paws for Ability — a nonprofit organization based in Xenia, Ohio, that breeds, trains and places service dogs with children and veterans with disabilities — one UK student trained what has become a life-changing tool for a young boy with autism.

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Hannah Wilson, a graduate student in the UK College of Social Work, immediately became involved with 4 Paws for Ability at UK as a freshman in 2021 — later becoming president of the organization her senior year.

She began as a sitter — someone who looks after a dog when a primary handler is unable to —  but knew she was destined to do more in the program. She became a primary handler and trained four dogs during her time with the organization at UK.

Helping train these dogs is crucial, as their early experiences directly prepare them for future service work. Hannah Casey, an integrated strategic communication and human communication double major in the College of Communication and Information, serves as the current public relations and marketing chair for UK’s branch of 4 Paws. She says training dogs on a college campus provides great opportunities to teach them basic obedience, socialization and how to act like a service dog “in the real world.”

“UK has provided us the opportunity to bring them to class and sporting events that give the dogs lots of experience,” Casey said. “Whether it be with kids, loud noises or even random things, like balloons, it’s important for the dogs to be socialized and ready for any experience.”

That’s exactly what Wilson was tasked with in February 2023, when she was paired with a golden retriever named Letty during her sophomore year. For the next year and a half, Wilson trained Letty until she was ready to move onto advanced training in July of 2024.

“Letty was the longest foster I had ever had, so I dreaded the day we would have to part ways. I used to tell people Letty was my child,” Wilson said, “but I knew she was going to make a difference in someone’s life and that she was meant to help someone.”

That someone was a boy named Noah.

In November of 2024, Letty graduated from 4 Paws for Ability — the 2,000th service dog to do so — and was assigned to 6-year-old Noah who has autism.

“When we found out Noah had autism at the age of 2, my husband and I started researching alternative therapies for him after he wasn’t making any improvement with early intervention,” said Jenna Yohpe, Noah’s mother.

Living in Xenia, Ohio, the location of 4 Paws for Ability, their search led them to the option of getting a service dog for their son.

After providing information to the 4 Paws organization about Noah’s habits and needs, he was matched with Letty — who is trained to be both a tracking and behavior disruption dog. Letty helps Noah by not only providing a sensory outlet and deep pressure therapy, but also by tethering — which keeps him safely attached to her and prevents wandering.

The Yohpe family can now safely enjoy outings together and Noah can support his older sister at her sporting events — thanks to Letty being by his side.

“Letty has provided our lives with much more freedom,” Yohpe said. “Noah now has so much more freedom to explore the world safely, thanks to Letty.”

The family says they are grateful to college students like Wilson who help train and socialize the dogs from an early age. She and the Yohpe family have maintained contact, even visiting each other in person after Letty’s placement.

“We love Hannah, and it has been great to have her as a resource for our family,” Yohpe said. “She has spent so much time with Letty, so even if we just have a quick question she is always here to help.”

“It’s so rewarding seeing Letty work for her boy and be excited to do her job,” Wilson said. “I know Noah’s family’s lives have changed for the better because of Letty and it makes the whole experience very rewarding.”

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Currently at UK there are about 50 dogs participating in 4 Paws for Ability.

Not only does Wilson think the organization is rewarding in the aspect of training dogs for placement, but also in bringing awareness to service dogs as a whole.

“An organization like this on campus really spreads awareness about service dogs,” Wilson said. “And not just about how to approach them or what to do when you see them. Placements like Noah’s truly show the impact that these dogs can have on someone’s life.”

To learn more information about 4 Paws for Ability, visit https://uky.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/4paws.