# @canineorg on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DSahOQyj43z
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/38000188-canineorg-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/51e0c19419.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-12-18T18:10:27.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Canine Companions (@canineorg) — https://gondola.cc/canineorg

## Caption

Javier Robles knows about life-changing situations, both good and bad. At the young age of 16, Javier fell out of a tree, upending life as he knew it. The fall caused a spinal cord injury, leaving him with quadriplegia.💔 

With a goal to join the Air Force prior to his injury, Javier had to pivot when he returned to high school. With the support of a kind guidance counselor, Javier focused on his grades and embarked on a future he hadn’t dreamed of prior to his accident. 

He earned a degree from rutgersu and a Juris Doctorate from setonhall School of Law. Javier is now faculty and assistant teaching professor at Rutgers in the Department of Kinesiology and Health. He’s also a husband, father of two and a passionate advocate for disability rights. 💪 

He didn’t do it alone. Javier has had life-changing Canine Companions #servicedogs since 1990 to help him live with greater independence.🐕‍🦺

“It was difficult to go from doing everything for yourself to often having to depend on others,” Javier recalls. “Tess gave me the independence that I continue to have to this day. She attended law school with me, picked up my books and opened doors.” 

Over the decades, Javier was partnered with four exceptional service dogs: Tess, Janus, Delbert and just recently, Gonzalo. 

Gonzalo was raised by a pittofficial volunteer puppy raiser from the student-run puppy raising club, step.pitt, whose mission is to raise future service dogs for Canine Companions.

“My fourth dog, Gonzalo, is continuing the legacy of Tess, Janus and Delbert. They’ve all helped me raise my kids alongside my wife, become a university professor, enjoy my hobbies and live an amazing life.” 💛💙 

➡️ Link in bio to read more stories in our winter edition of The Companion, or visit canine.org/newsletters.
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#LeadWithIndependence #servicedog #quadriplegia #Rutgers #rutgersuniversity #setonhall #community #H2P #servicedogsofinstagram #servicedogsofig #servicedogsofinsta #dog #dogs #dogsofinstagram #dogsofinsta #labrador #labsofinsta #labstagram #labsofinstagram #volunteer

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- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 575
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- **Comments:** 13

## Tags

servicedogs, servicedog, servicedogsofinstagram, rutgers, labsofinstagram, volunteer, rutgersuniversity, labrador, servicedogsofig, dogsofinstagram, leadwithindependence, labsofinsta, dog, labstagram, quadriplegia, setonhall, dogsofinsta, servicedogsofinsta, dogs, h2p, community

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