Dean Koontz's $10 million devotion to dogs helping disabled feel his same joy

February 28, 2016

He needed a small favor.
Who knew it would change his life?
Best-selling author Dean Koontz is describing how he and his wife came to donate more than $10 million to a worthy cause.
In 1988, Koontz was doing research for his book “Midnight.” He wanted to include a character in a wheelchair with a service dog named Moose, so he called the team members at Canine Companions for Independence in Oceanside and asked for help.
They invited him down and explained how they trained dogs for people with disabilities.
“Midnight” went on to become Koontz’s first No. 1 best-seller, and Canine Companions went on to offer him a retired service dog.
“We’re too busy,” he replied.
He’d always loved dogs, but he was writing several books a year.
“I knew having a dog was like having a child,” he says. “You need to devote a lot of time to it.”

Read the full story @ The Orange County Register.