FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 19, 2019
Alexander Thompson Arnold PLLC Announces Furry Hire
Alexander Thompson Arnold PLLC (ATA) is pleased to announce its newest addition Cali, who joined the ATA team as a service dog in training for Leader Dogs for the Blind. In this pre-training time, Cali is responsible for learning basic commands, avoiding distractions, and learning to patiently wait when not needed to assist her human. Her puppy raiser, Member/Partner, Catherine Messerly and her family have already opened their home to other future Leader Dogs in the past. Previously, Ebony, a guide dog in Mexico and last year Dakota, who switched careers and is now aiding in detecting bombs and other threats.
Prior to joining ATA, Cali was being prepared by her host family and leader dog mom. Leader Dog for the blind seeks to provide only the best puppies and ensures the health of their dogs by selective breeding. The breeding parents live in homes with families until they are retired at which time they are spayed/neutered, and their host family is then able to adopt them permanently. Cathy’s second puppy, Bailey, was selected for the program and just delivered her fourth and final litter in August.
“I am so glad Cali can join us here at ATA.”, said Memphis Partner, Cathy Messerly. “Our office environment is a great place for her to grow and learn the many skills she needs to succeed. It is great to be a part of an organization that cares so much about community and helping others.”
Cali will graduate from working with Cathy and the Memphis office in July 2020, and then will begin her advance training. This training will continue until she is ready to aid a visually impaired person. Leader Dogs for the Blind, the organization Cali belongs to, offers services free of charge to their clients, so having volunteers to raise puppies is crucial to keeping costs down.
ATA has 15 office locations in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Mississippi. ATA is an IPA Top 200 regional accounting firm who provides a wide array of accounting, auditing, tax and consulting services for clients ranging from small family-owned businesses to publicly traded companies, and international corporations. ATA is also an alliance member of BDO USA LLP, which allows it to utilize the resources and expertise for its clients of a top-five global accounting firm.
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