This is a formal group photograph taken indoors in an elegant, historic-looking room the executive chambers at the New Hampshire State House, Setting details: Dark wood double doors in the background. Two framed oil portraits of men in historical clothing hanging on the wall. An American flag and a dark blue New Hampshire state flag (with the state seal and “STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE” visible). Patterned blue carpet and classic wooden furniture (including a black Windsor-style chair). People: A mixed group of about a dozen adults of various ages is posed together. Starting from the left is Faith Harris founder of walking with honor, to her right is Sean an Operation Delta Dog client, to his right and behind him is Riley Stewart from Operation Delta Dog, to her right is Senator David Watters, dressed in a tan suit and pink tie, to his right and behind is Lynn George from Mobility Danes of New England. In the center is Brendan Madden seated in a powered wheelchair, smiling and holding up the proclamation with a blue-and-white ribbon attached. To his right and behind stands Tracy McNichol, director of operations for Mobility Danes of New England, Governor Kelly Ayotte stands to his right dressed in a white dress. To her right stands Laura Barker from Hero Pups, standing next to her is a volunteer from Hero Pups, Brady, standing to his right is Kathy Metz from Assisted Canine Training Services. Five service dogs are in the foreground, all wearing harnesses and identification vests: Nea, A black-and-tan Rottweiler, an ambassador dog for walking with honor, stands on the far left in front of Faith Harris. Luke, A chocolate Labrador stands in front of his teammate Sean. Benny, A golden Retriever from Hero Pups sitting near the center. Red, A yellow Labrador Service dog puppy in training sitting on a chair. Magnus, A black Labrador from ACTS stands in front of Kathy Metz on the far right.

NH Proclamation for Service Dog Awareness Month

Having had my own service dog, I understand the hard work that goes into training these dogs and thencontinuous work that the service dog team needs to do to keep the dog up-to-date on its tasks! Thank you to everyone was in attendance for this proclamation,

Faith Harris founder of Walking With Honor

Sean an Operation Delta Dog client and Riley Stewart from Operation Delta Dog

Senator David Watters

Lynn George founder of Mobility Danes of New England and Tracy McNichol, director of operations for Mobility Danes of New England.

Governor Kelly Ayotte

Laura Barker founder of Hero Pups and Brady, a volunteer from Hero Pups

Kathy Metz from Assisted Canine Training Services.

Photo credit: governer’s office

The State of New Hampshire By Her Excellency

Kelly A. Ayotte, Governor A Proclamation In the year of our Lord Two Thousand and Twenty-Six 

SERVICE DOG AWARENESS MONTH

SEPTEMBER 2026 WHEREAS, service dogs play an essential role in the lives of individuals with physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other disabilities, empowering them to lead more independent and fulfilling lives; and, 

WHEREAS, these highly trained dogs assist their handlers with critical tasks such as guiding the visually impaired, detecting seizures, alerting to sounds, retrieving items, and providing calming support during episodes of anxiety or trauma; and, 

WHEREAS, service dogs are afforded legal protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which ensures they may accompany their handlers in public spaces, workplaces, and housing, fostering full participation in society; and, 

WHEREAS, in the 250th year of our nation, the State of New Hampshire continues to support efforts to raise awareness about the important distinction between service animals and emotional support animals, and encourages education around respectful interaction with service dog teams; and, 

WHEREAS, we recognize the dedicated organizations, trainers, advocates, and volunteers who work tirelessly to place service dogs with individuals in need, and we honor the service dog handlers whose courage and resilience inspire us all; NOW, 

THEREFORE, I, KELLY AYOTTE, GOVERNOR of the State of New Hampshire, do hereby proclaim SEPTEMBER 2026 as SERVICE DOG AWARENESS MONTH in the State of New Hampshire, and encourage all citizens to support efforts to educate the public about the vital role these animals play, and to ensure a respectful, accessible environment for all those who rely on service dogs. 

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the State of New Hampshire to be affixed this 1st day of September, 2026. 

Kelly A. Ayotte

Governor

On the left: The official Seal of the State of New Hampshire. It is a circular blue seal with a gold serrated (sunburst-style) border and two dark blue ribbon tails hanging below. Center: A ship under full sail on water, with a rising sun behind it, framed by a laurel wreath. Outer ring text: “SEAL OF THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE”. Bottom: “1776” flanked by stars. On the right: Formal legal-style attestation text in black serif font: IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the State of New Hampshire to be affixed this 1st day of September, 2026. Below the text is a handwritten signature in blue ink that reads “Kelly A. Ayotte”, with the printed name and title underneath:
Kelly A. Ayotte
Governor The paper has a textured, off-white/cream appearance typical of official stationery. The overall layout is the classic “testimony” closing section found on many U.S. state documents, where the governor’s signature and the state seal authenticate the instrument.