HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. — A North Carolina nonprofit is training service dogs to help people with disabilities gain independence.

On average service dogs can take up to two years to train, but the demand for them is high, as one in three adults in the state lives with a disability.

The organization Eyes Ears Nose and Paws and a partnership with Duke University students are giving both the dogs and their trainers a path toward a stronger future.

Inside the small EENP training facility, visitors are greeted with puppy sounds and wagging tails. But behind all of the cuteness of those sweet faces is a serious need.

When a new litter arrives at the training site, among the new faces they’ll get to know is Ben Flagg, who is there to guide them through early lessons. Flagg knows firsthand how the

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