About | New Life K9s

How It Started

At New Life K9s, our mission is to provide free, expertly trained service dogs to Veterans and First Responders living with PTSD.

Driven by the profound human-animal bond, we are committed to enhancing the lives of those who have courageously served our communities.

By offering unwavering support and companionship, we strive to prevent suicide, enrich relationships, and foster healing, ensuring our heroes receive the care and assistance they deserve.

What We Do

Service Dog Training

Through our rehabilitation prison program, dog handlers assist in training our service dogs in obedience, socialization, and specialized skills such as retrieving medication and responding to panic attacks.

Supporting Our Heroes

Our mission is to support those who’ve served by providing

trained service dogs and raising awareness of the benefits they bring to Veterans and First Responders with PTSD.

Building A Community

We believe that by providing free service dogs, we can help Veterans and First Responders lead more independent and fulfilling lives.

Meet the Team

Program Manager

Celis Rabena

Celis is a retired police officer with nearly three decades of dedicated service to the City of Exeter and the City of Grover Beach Police Departments. Throughout his extensive career, he held various positions within the department and had the honor of reaching the rank of Police Lieutenant. Over the years, he encountered situations and responsibilities that most individuals would never encounter in their lifetime. These experiences have given him unique insight into the challenges faced by Veterans and First Responders dealing with PTSD.

Lead Educator

Amber Nieslanik

Amber grew up around all kinds of animals, and has always been a huge animal lover. She is certified in exotic animal training and is currently finishing a degree in Animal Behavior. She started at Gentle Touch as an assistant in 2021 and eventually joined the New Life K9's team at the start of 2022. She has grown a huge love for training, and even been able to work with horses and several different marine mammals.

Educator

John Weeks

I got my Belgian Malinois/ Australian Cattle dog mix in April of 2022 and started my career in dog training then. I took a basic manners class at Santa Barbara Humane and knew that I had to start working with dogs. I have always loved animals and always had a house full of dogs. I began as an Animal Care and Adoption Specialist. I quickly transitioned into a behaviorist role, working on creating and executing behavior modification plans in order to help the dogs during their stay at the shelter. This April I became a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner. I am also Fear Free Shelter Dog certified.

Educator

Shamaiah Larsen

Shamaiah became a dog mom in 2015 when she adopted a Husky/German Shepherd mix named Cora. She put her through extensive dog training where Shamaiah learned how much she loved training dogs and learning the dog language through different techniques and styles. Shamaiah now has 5+ years of experience working with dogs of different temperaments, breeds and behavioral issues. She has specialized in Service dog training, along with private lesson training, off leash training, and reactivity. Shamaiah’s goals are to foster healthy relationships between dogs and humans and to better the knowledge of dog training within her community. Shamaiah and Cora love spending time hiking, playing at the beach with Cora’s favorite ball, camping by a lake or a river, Netflix and chill.