The National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD) video team has earned national recognition at the 47th Annual Telly Awards, receiving two Bronze Telly Awards for a video focused on the impact of service dogs.

The Telly Awards honor excellence in video and television content across all screens and are chosen by industry leaders from organizations including YouTube, HBO, National Geographic and more.

For lead producer Chase Tinnon, the recognition highlights not only the creative work behind the video but also the importance of elevating disability-related content to a national audience.

“A lot of work goes into video production — research, writing, preproduction, filming and post,” Tinnon said. “So, it’s always nice to be recognized for that work. But more importantly, it’s always good for content relating to disability to be recognized and elevated to a national level.”

Tinnon said it was especially meaningful to see the video recognized alongside productions from organizations such as PBS, National Geographic and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The award-winning video centered on service dogs and the role they can play in supporting independence, health and quality of life for people with disabilities. The team was named bronze winner in the General Education & Discovery category and in the General Pets & Animals category.

According to Dr. Meghan Mills, NCHPAD scientist and service-dog handler, the video was motivated by a desire to address common misconceptions about service dogs and educate viewers on their importance as assistive technology.

“As a service dog handler and researcher, there are so many misconceptions and wrong information out there about what a service dog is and how they are different from emotional support, therapy and facility animals,” Mills said.

Mills noted that many people think of service dogs with respect to people who are blind or low vision, but there are many ways people with disabilities use animals as assistive technology. She hopes the video serves as a resource for people with disabilities as well as dispels the misuse of service animals.

“Service dogs are an important type of assistive technology used to support the health and function of people with disabilities and increase independence,” Mills said.

The team approached the video with a creative storytelling angle, using Arrow, Mills’ service dog and the star of the video, as the narrator to guide viewers through daily life and explain the role service dogs play.

“We tried to make it fun by making Arrow our narrator and letting him explain to the audience what a day in his life is like,” Tinnon said. “I think it’s always important to make our content entertaining. This was a lot of fun to make and one of my favorite projects.” 

The lighthearted approach also helped the video connect with audiences while delivering important and impactful education.

“People love dogs, and it is a good way to grab attention and, while doing that, use the opportunity to educate about disability,” Mills said. “There are so many videos out there with wrong information about service dogs, and this video fills a needed gap.”

While the finished product appeared smooth on screen, filming did come with some challenges. Although Arrow is a highly skilled service animal, acting wasn’t initially a part of his repertoire.

“Some of the things we were asking to do ran contrary to some of his training, so he would get confused sometimes,” Tinnon said. “But in the end, he did a great job.”

NCHPAD Video Production Manager Matt Henton said the recognition reflects NCHPAD’s mission of using multimedia storytelling to increase awareness for people with disabilities.

“At NCHPAD, the real award is always the impact that our videos can have on people with and without disabilities,” Henton said. “Whether it’s someone seeing their story reflected for the first time or using our content to take a step toward their own health, wellness or self-advocacy, that’s what matters most to us.”

Henton said storytelling can open up a world of new possibilities to people with disabilities while also encouraging broader conversations around accessibility.

“When someone with a disability sees a story that reflects their own experience, it can open the door to trying something new or thinking differently about what’s possible for their life,” Henton said.

The 47th Annual Telly Awards winners were announced in May 2026.

To learn more about service dogs, visit our service dog resources!