Fins, flippers and future service dogs unite at Mote aquarium

By Madison Bierl
| 2:05 p.m. August 21, 2026

Even though Glen, a service dog in training with Dogs Inc, was hard at work at Mote SEA on Aug. 18, he couldn't resist greeting an otter.

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When Lakewood Ranch's Hadley Hepburn turned 16 years old, she signed up to be a puppy raiser with Dogs Inc.

Being a puppy raiser means getting a future service dog ready for Dogs Inc training. Of course, that also means the puppy raiser has to give up the dog when it comes time to return to the Dogs Inc campus in Palmetto.

Seven months after Hepburn started training Ranger, a yellow lab, she had a new task to complete. She needed to see if Ranger would stay focused or be distracted when visiting the Mote Science Education Aquarium Aug. 18.

"I was expecting him to like be a little bit distracted by the other dogs, but he actually did well," Hepburn said.

"He likes the otters," she noted,

Her father, Blake Hepburn, said he enjoys seeing how much effort his daughter puts into training Ranger and he loves seeing how much joy it brings her.

"She's got a high standard for him and he rises to the level most of the time," Blake Hepburn said.

Chelsea Aldrich, an apprentice guide dog mobility instructor with Dogs Inc, said the experience was extremely valuable for all of the service dogs in training.

She toured the aquarium with a 2-year-old black lab, Arthur, who is training to be a guide dog. Arthur needs to be confident and focused no matter the environment. He has to navigate crowds.

"Arthur could be asked to guide a person who is visually impaired around an aquarium or similar place someday, so getting this great practice in now was fantastic," Aldrich said.

Evan Barniskis, the aquarium director at Mote SEA, said he was thrilled to host the Dogs Inc guests. Not only does it provide an opportunity for the dogs, but it is also good for the animals at the aquarium to become accustomed to service dogs.

"I love to walk around the aquarium and love to see all these dogs throughout the entire building exploring, learning and getting to take in everything that a public aquarium has to offer," Barniskis said.

Black lab Samuel, who will soon be given a job placement, is described as a serious and careful worker.

Caitlin O’Brien says visiting Mote SEA is a great experience for Samuel, a service dog in training.

Dogs Inc's Glen, styled with a turtle print bandana, greets blind sea turtle Montego at Mote Sea.

Ranger, a 9-month-old yellow lab, is a big lover of people, but sharks don't get him that excited.

Lakewood Ranch 16-year-old Hadley Hepburn and her dad, Blake Hepburn, are excited to see how Ranger reacts to Mote SEA.

Cheddar, a 15-month-old dog in training with Dogs Inc, takes a brief break from working to meet a penguin.

Despite the attention from a shark at Mote Sea, 2-year-old yellow lab Arthur stays focused on training for his future career.

Hadley Hepburn signed up to be a puppy raiser on her 16th birthday last September and has been training Ranger since January.

Lauren Wallace, a guide dog mobility instructor with Dogs Inc, makes sure yellow lab Glen is comfortable and focused everywhere, including elevators.

Samuel, a 2-year-old dog in training, has the potential to become a guide dog, which would include navigating crowds at places such as an aquarium.

Chelsea Aldrich, an apprentice guide dog mobility instructor with Dogs Inc, says Arthur was confident and relaxed at the aquarium despite lots of distractions.

Mote Sea Aquarium Director Evan Barniskis and Public Relations Manager Amber Smalley are glad to welcome Dogs Inc's Chelsea Aldrich (center) and dog-in-training Arthur to the facility.

author

Madison Bierl

Madison Bierl is the education and community reporter for the East County Observer. She grew up in Iowa and studied at the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication at Iowa State University.