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A gator mauled and killed this man's best friend: his dog

The dog was attacked a day before the man died by suicide. A therapy and service dog handler is now talking grief, loss and ways to help others.

PALMETTO, Fla. — Dogs have been providing added support to people for years. 

Andrew Epp, 36, had a dog that he felt an especially strong attachment to, so although it wasn't certified, the family considered it a service dog. 

Sadly, Andrew died by suicide a day after his chocolate Lab was mauled to death by an alligator. 

The dog was killed at Dog Leg Park at Buggal Creek last Friday, and pet owners remain uneasy about bringing their own dogs around. The owners want to make sure it's safe for their pets, especially without gator signs warning of the deadly dangers. 

The family says last Friday, their dog, Java, bolted out into the wooded area without realizing there’s a marsh behind it filled with gators, including the infamous gator Chubbs

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said a 9-foot, 2-inch alligator was since removed by a contracted nuisance alligator trapper on May 26. The gator was located at a pond near the Dog Leg Park.

FWC urged anyone with concerns about specific alligators to call its toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).

Dogs and humans: A special bond

Dogs, in general, bring a certain level of comfort to their owners, which is why their bond can be so strong. 

"It's a bond like no other -- your dog is basically your protector and can help with your medical needs," said Hope Springs, vice president and one of the owners of All American Dog Training Academy

The academy is certified in military-style training and can provide mobility assist dogs, stability or balance dogs, and service and therapy dogs, to name a few services. It also has a program to obtain free service dog training to people every year, and two people were awarded last year. 

Service dogs can provide both physical and emotional support for the visually impaired, people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorders, or helping people overcome other traumas. 

Emotional support dogs, by definition, provide comfort, security, companionship and love for people suffering from a mental or emotional disability or illness, according to CertaPet.com

Some dogs can be trained to use Deep Pressure Therapy, where they press up against their owners when they're in crisis to calm them down.

Just as Andrew, unfortunately, lost his dog, Hope has also had to deal with her own grief and loss. 

"Unfortunately, I lost my service dog three years ago," she said. "And it's that bond you have with that service dog, whether it be pressure training or PTSD or in general, they are there to keep your mindset normal, and not having that animal anymore is really difficult." 

Relating to others and their dogs in public

Service dogs can go anywhere with their handlers, while emotional support dogs can not. A lot of states are enforcing this right through the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

Emotional support dogs aren't put under a certified and licensed training program, while a service dog is trained under certain specifications that are task-specific for an individual.

Hope suffers from what she calls an "invisible disease" of lupus. Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body, including skin, joints and/or organs, according to Lupus.org

"Just remember, when you approach these animals, those illnesses [the owners are suffering from] might not be seen," she added. 

She adds that a lot of veterans and others suffer from PTSD from trauma and can experience night terrors, panic attacks, anxiety or other symptoms. 

RELATED: 'I've been alone a long time': Blind USF student tells story of getting her first guide dog

Dealing with grief

Hope said that while losing a service dog or other animal is really difficult, there's still hope. 

The American Counseling Association says that everyone deals with grief in their own way. Click here for grief and loss resources

For anyone experiencing thoughts of suicide, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 can be reached at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). In the Tampa Bay area, 2-1-1 will also connect you to the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay.

RELATED: Are you having thoughts of suicide or know someone who is? There's help

For others, it may help to just reach out to friends, family, or loved ones. 

"Reach out to friends and family, there is support, grief support, there's always someone that's there for you, whether it be a nonprofit or other organization," she said. 

Hope says that after she lost her daughter during pregnancy, her service dog was there for her.  

"After I lost my daughter I have suffered from PTSD, and my dog was there to be my service animal," Hope said. "Once I lost my service dog, I didn't have that same sense of support. If I didn't have my family or pastor pushing me, I'm not sure what I would have done." 

She adds that her daughter would have been 9 today. 

She started a foundation, the Star Legacy Foundation, to provide research, bring awareness and show support to others who are grieving from a miscarriage, stillbirth or other pregnancy complication. 

"A lot of people grieve in silence, and that is the main killer," she adds. 

One of the first things Hope reminds her clients at the academy is to know their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the disability rights specific to each state, and to be educated prior to going outside with their service dogs. 

"In terms of mental health, a dog doesn't judge you, it loves you unconditionally," Hope said. "It can't talk back, but you can feel their love, no one's going to judge you, and you can talk to the dog from the privacy of your home." 

Hope feels this on a personal level. 

"I sat in Walmart and just cried on the ground," Hope said, discussing one of the overwhelming panic attacks she experienced in public. "My Goldendoodle service dog used pressure training to reduce my heart rate, and it worked. Just knowing that I have that comfort and I don't have that judgment, knowing that I have a dog that isn't going to judge me helps." 

She says while Sarah, her new service dog, doesn't judge, she has felt the judgment of others in public with her service dog. 

She's tried counseling and says she doesn't like to use medications, so her dog has been the best fit for her.

"Just having that dog is a lot of support," she adds. 

As far as dealing with others' grief, she says everyone should be open to help and show support.

"I would ask them, 'What can I do to help?' I would offer my help, hug them, show no judgment, take your feelings and set them aside," Hope said. "Just be there for them. At the end of the day, you don't know what they're feeling or what their mindset is, but you just need to be there to help." 

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