Free Service Dog Training for Veterans and First Responders in Southern California
VFR TRAINERS
Who We Are
Jenny Shrout, CEO
I founded VFR Veterans & First Responders LLC from a deeply personal understanding of injury, recovery, and service. After retiring from the Los Angeles County Department due to a severe spinal injury, I later faced a life-threatening illness that caused temporary paralysis. Those experiences, combined with my love for dogs and desire to continue serving others, inspired me to create VFR to support Veterans and first responders in need.
Today, VFR provides service dog training free of charge for Veterans and first responders without taking a profit. Our mission is to restore confidence, independence, and hope through specialized training. VFR is built on heart, integrity, and lived understanding, and everyone who joins becomes part of a greater family.
James Silva
James is a lead trainer for VFR and is a retired Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant having served 21 years in the military. He has been training service dogs for over 5 years and has an innate ability to sense dog behavior.
His confidence and compassion make him an asset to VFR training. His service dog Sierra is an Advanced/Urban AKC Canine Good Citizen and an intuitive instructor dog for all VFR service dogs
Katie
Katie joined the team in January 2023, bringing with her a passion for animals and a strong desire to learn. Since then, she has excelled in her roles as both an assistant trainer and an independent instructor. She works closely with our students, tailoring her lesson plans to meet their individual needs. Her empathy, patience, and dedication to helping others make her a valuable addition to our team.