Paws for Vets - Because Dogs are a man’s best friend

1. Paws for Vets – Because Dogs are a man’s best friend Paws for Vets is a program part which is organized by a community organization that helps children and adolescents with physical, neurological, psychiatric or emotional difficulties and Veterans and Active duty men and women suffering from C-PTSD (Chronic/Complex Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder) or TBI (Traumatic brain injuries) with the help of Psychiatric Service dogs. They also provide training and therapeutic group sessions. They have more than 175 dogs that specialize in various programs. These dogs have helped more than 300,000 therapeutic patients. There are more than 150 volunteers working in nine states that are a part of this non-profitable organization.

2. At Paws for Vets ‘wounded warriors’ or the people struggling with C-PTSD/ PTSD/ TBI are allowed to train their own service dog under the guidance of the expert staff or dog trainers. Each dog is trained according to the needs of the wounded warrior. While training their difficulties are kept in mind. When one has the ability to train their own service dog it builds a sense of accomplishment and helps them regain confidence. Also, this creates a bond between the dog and the owner in a way that is unmatched by others. At first, they are taught training of ‘shelter- rescue dogs’ and then progressing to extremely-trained Service dogs. Some of the dogs know more than one-thirty commands. This program has proven to be a way of inmate rehabilitation. This program is a non-profitable program, i.e. it is free of charge.

3. At Paws for Veterans each Veteran is given a different type of dog based on the problem he/she is facing. Dogs are trained in different manners for different people’s needs. Some of these categories of dogs are: Based on Mobility assistance: Service Dog – Physical or Neurological Disability – these dogs are trained to ensure that an individual with disabilities performs 3 or more tasks that he/she could otherwise not do or faced difficulties in doing them. Service Dog – Balance – these dogs are trained to ensure that an individual with equilibrium or vertigo related disabilities can walk with the use of a wheelchair or walking stick so that they can live a more independent life. Service Dog – LASER Designation Retrieving – these dogs are trained to retrieve items that are designated with ‘red laser lights’. For Chronic/Complex PTSB/ TBI:

4. Service Dog – Psychiatric • Rehabilitative Assistance Dog – Psychiatric • These dogs are similar to the Service Dog – Physical or Neurological Disability. However, they ensure that the patient does one task a day that he/she otherwise could not do or faced difficulties in doing them. • These organizations provide with skilled and trained dogs that helps people overcome their difficulties. They do not charge you for anything. They help the Veterans and other active men and women to live like they once lived before. These type of organizations help people free of cost and do not ask for anything in return. One can help these organizations by volunteering to help in their programs or by donating our pet dogs.