Dogs Inc. service dogs in training visit The Ringling

By Ian Swaby
| 5:00 a.m. September 18, 2025

Gillian Daniels walks through the gallery with Stanley.

Sarasota
Neighbors

In late August, the Observer joined Dogs Inc. as a group of guide dogs completed a training session at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

On Sept. 15, it also joined a group of service dogs in training at another Sarasota landmark: The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art.

The group also visited the Bayfront Gardens and the Circus Museum portions of the campus.

Service dog instructor Katrina Verzosa said the organization likes to bring its dogs in training to places that the recipients of the animals will visit.

"A lot of times, the life of a service dog is is to hang out with their person and to really be there as a nice calming presence, so if you're going to a gallery or something like that, and you're there to kind of absorb the ambiance, then that's a good training route for us to be like, 'All right, cool, so we're here, and we are going to do a little bit of walking, but we're also going to live life together," she said.

The organization's service dogs are provided to veterans who suffer from PTSD, and learn how to accompany their human companions constantly, as well as perform tasks.

"They need a buddy that goes with them everywhere," Verzosa said.

The organization provides all of its dogs at no cost to clients.

Musum volunteer and former employee Patsy French meets Tommy and Sam Doyle.

Jamie Leese sits with Jet, and Kate Schmidt sits with Paul.

The group heads along the side of the courtyard, with Giselle Enriquez, walking Star, and Kate Schmidt, walking Paul, in front.

Star meets the mother of Rome's mythological founders, Romulus and Remus.

Sam Doyle prepares to offer Tommy a treat.

Katrina Verzoasa, walking Gipper, Sam Doyle, walking Tommy, and Jamie Leese, walking Jet, head through the courtyard.

The group heads by the "David," with Jamie Leese, walking jet, and Giselle Enriquez, walking Star, in front.

Katrina Verzoasa walks Gipper along the bridge.

author

Ian Swaby

Ian Swaby is the Sarasota neighbors writer for the Observer. Ian is a Florida State University graduate of Editing, Writing, and Media and previously worked in the publishing industry in the Cayman Islands.