Our Misson
Ability Danes primary mission is “Giving the Ability Back” to Military Service Members, Veterans, First Responders, Law Enforcement, and their families through the use of Mobility Service Dogs. Through Ability Danes, our General Manager and Master Trainer, Grey R. Jewett III, will be breeding and training Great Danes to be Mobility Service Dogs. Through these incredible service dogs they will receive extensive training and be individually crafted to the particular member’s needs. Each of these service dogs will be tasked with giving the ability back to these valent members of our community who have risked it all in service to our country and local communities. Ability Danes is running their operations out of Danes and Manes Estate in Sheridan, Arkansas. It was founded by Britney H. Jewett and Grey R. Jewett III, both disabled veterans wanting to give back to their veteran community by making breeding and training Mobility Great Danes their life’s work. Through their ranch, they will be building a training facility that houses future Mobility Service Dogs until they are ready to go to their future handlers. It all started when Grey Jewett III had been rescuing and fostering Great Danes when he came across Maya, whom he originally didn’t intend to keep but just simply foster for a time. But Maya instantly picked up on Grey’s mobility needs and began assisting him on her own accord and was entuned to the emotional needs of those around her. From there, Grey was encouraged by a friend to train Maya to be his mobility service dog, thus was the start of Ability Danes.
Meet The Team
Jason Smith
President and CEO of Ability Danes Britney H. Jewett served approximately five years in the United States Air Force before medically retiring. During her time being active duty, she was a 1C6 Space Operator at the 11th Space Warning Squadron as a Satellite Systems Crew Chief. After her retirement, she gave an additional six years to her mission as a DoD Contractor working for the Space Force on the SBIRS Program. Though she loved her mission, she felt it was time to answer a different calling and give back to the veteran community, and with her husband, they created Ability Danes. So, they decided to sell their house, pack up everything, buy an RV, and move to Arkansas. Currently, she is working full-time on the future development and logistics of Ability Danes. Along with going to school full time at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and getting her BA in Business Management with a minor in Nonprofit Studies, and got an early acceptance into the Nonprofit Management Graduate Certification Program.
Martina Smith
Co-founder and General Manager/Master Trainer Grey R. Jewett III spent 12 years in the United States Marine Corps as a Special Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician and was medically retired in 2016 due to injuries sustained during combat operations. Great Danes have always been a part of his life, and the love was passed down from his family. He raised his own Danes and adopted and rescued over 60 Danes in a 20-year period making sure they found suitable homes and assisting with any behavior modification training. It wasn’t till Maya came around in 2015 that the idea of putting them to work as mobility dogs came to life. It was as if she knew he needed mobility assistance and emotional support. Over the course of the next eight years, she provided him with mobility and emotional support as he worked all over the US and Mexico, taking over 250 flights. She had her own passport and was always voted as the best passenger. Grey is currently enrolled at a prestigious service dog training school, Atlas Assistances Dogs School to obtain further training and certifications to provide mobility dogs to others in need. It was because of Maya that he found his passion for training service animals, and this has become his life’s mission.
