Zack Starr and His Service Dog Nellie

Battle Buddy, "Nellie"

As a disabled veteran who has dealt with twenty five years of chronic pain, ten surgeries, near suicide, years of depression, and significant memory loss, Zack has been through his fair share of "medical solutions." Therapy, medications, adrenaline seeking adventures, medications, alternative therapy, and more medications. He finally found the one thing that works for him. Her name is Nellie.

While service dogs provides many benefits, (pain management, medication reminders, physical task assistance, emotional support and memory assistance), they are not just a tool. They are partners. Having Nellie has forever changed Zack's life. As his partner in life and his adventure side-kick, Nellie goes where he goes, and speaking is no different. In the six years they have been together, she has already touched her paws down in 21 states and would have a decent frequent flier account if airlines allowed four-legged travelers such perks. She has also racked up over 25K miles on road trips and over 1K miles on a motorcycle. This girl will truly go anywhere he goes.

Zack's passion for helping veterans, first responders and athletes transition to life after the uniform is fueled by his own failures and years of trauma. His mission is to guide these men and women through a healthy transition so they can truly thrive in the next chapter of life.

"By identifying and intercepting issues before they become wild fires, together we can lower the suicide rate and prevent permanent life injuries like the ones I deal with on a daily basis." - Zack Starr

To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Q) Will it cost more for our organization to bring you AND Nellie to our event?

A) No. Nellie goes with me no matter what, even if she is not on stage. Airlines and hotels can NOT charge extra for service dogs, so there is no added expense for travel.

Q) Does Nellie require anything from us if we book you for an event?

A) No. We are a self sufficient team. She does love green M&M's, but they aren't good for her.

Q) Is Nellie allowed in hotels and restaurants?

A) Yes. The (ADA) rules governing service dogs allow the dog to go with the owner regardless of establishment rules.

Q) Can our attendees pet Nellie after your keynote?

A) Yes, with permission. Over the years, Zack has witnessed the power that Nellie has to alter people's energy, in the best possible way. She meets them where they are. So the team has incorporated an on-off command for Nellie to be able to engage with attendees at the proper time. Just ask and Zack will command Nellie to "go say hi." Then she becomes the star of the show.

Q) Where does Nellie go during your keynote?

A) Typically she will stay stage-side and wait for me to be finished. As we craft her part of the keynote, she will join me on stage for a few minutes before returning to her "spot" off-stage. In some instances that don't allow for this, she will remain in my hotel room. Unlike seizer or stroke service dogs, Nellie's tasks are not necessary 24/7 and therefore allow us to be separated for short periods of time.

Q) Can our attendees take pictures with you and Nellie after the event?

A) Absolutely. As you can tell from the pics below, this girls loves being in the spot light.