Traditionally, service dogs were only provided to veterans who could not complete daily tasks as a result of physical disabilities like visual and hearing impairments and spinal cord injuries.
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However, a mandated Department of Defense and
U.S. National Institute of Health study supported the idea that service dogs are also beneficial to the 2.7 million American veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other mental handicaps as a result of their service.
The Department of Veteran Affairs does not provide veterans with PTSD with service dogs.
A number of private organizations have ventured to help veterans cope and recover from PTSD by providing them with service dogs. Below are 5 notable groups:
1. Warrior Canine Connection
Based in Maryland, this organization recruits recovering veterans to train service dogs for other disabled veterans. In the process of training a dog, veterans must teach the animal that the world is a safe place and must therefore overcome many of their own fears and anxieties. This program allows veterans to recover while servicing other veterans.
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2. Healing 4 Heroes
This Georgia based nonprofit helps veterans recover from PTSD while also rescuing shelter dogs. Healing 4 Heroes fundraises, hosts events, and gathers volunteers in order to match veterans in need of healing with dogs in need of a home.
3. Alpha K9
Alpha K9 is run by combat disabled veterans in Sacramento, California who aim to provide veterans with PTSD with trained service dogs in the hopes of preventing veteran suicides and encouraging recovery.
4. Soldier’s Best Friends
This Arizona operating volunteer group accepts veterans into their pet therapy program. Their programs typically consist of 1-2 training sessions a week for up to 30 weeks.
5. Hero Dogs
Another Maryland centered program, this nonprofit takes care of and trains service dogs, which they then give to veterans with disabling medical conditions for free.
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