December 4, 2025 8:03 am
Life, News 
A room stands and applauds as Northwest Battle Buddies’ 300th service dog, Missy, at left, is given to a veteran Friday during a Northwest Battle Buddies graduation ceremony at Royal Oaks Country Club in Vancouver. (Taylor Balkom/The Columbian)
Service dog Diamond, center, sits next to handler and veteran Dodi Lewis on Friday during a Northwest Battle Buddies graduation ceremony at Royal Oaks Country Club in Vancouver. (Taylor Balkom/The Columbian)
Veteran Jenet Conover, center, walks with her service dog Huck on Friday during a Northwest Battle Buddies graduation ceremony at Royal Oaks Country Club in Vancouver. The organization gave away its 300th dog to a veteran at the ceremony. (Taylor Balkom/The Columbian)
Veteran Rachel Lopez wipes a tear from her eye Friday during a Northwest Battle Buddies graduation ceremony at Royal Oaks Country Club in Vancouver.
Veteran Jenet Conover, left, laughs and scratches the head of her service dog Huck on Friday during a Northwest Battle Buddies graduation ceremony at Royal Oaks Country Club in Vancouver. The organization gave away its 300th dog to a veteran at the ceremony. (Taylor Balkom/The Columbian)
Northwest Battle Buddies founder and CEO Shannon Walker talks to a crowd Friday during a Northwest Battle Buddies graduation ceremony at Royal Oaks Country Club in Vancouver.
Cinder, a service dog, lies at the feet of veteran Rachel Lopez on Friday during a Northwest Battle Buddies graduation ceremony at Royal Oaks Country Club in Vancouver.
Veteran Rachel Lopez, center, walks to the front of the room with her service dog Cinder on Friday during a Northwest Battle Buddies graduation ceremony at Royal Oaks Country Club in Vancouver. The organization gave away its 300th dog to a veteran at the ceremony. (Photos by Taylor Balkom/The Columbian)
Veteran Deanna Garcia and her service dog Missy were recognized Friday as the 300th team to graduate from Northwest Battle Buddies during a ceremony honoring the group’s 293rd through 302nd dogs.
Shannon Walker founded Northwest Battle Buddies in 2012 after three decades working with dogs. She said her father, a Korean War veteran, pushed her toward helping veterans.
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