In Honor of 9/11: K-9s for Warriors. Afghanistan/Iraqi Veterans Train their own K-9 Healers in this Inspiring Service Dog Program.
K-9s for Warriors founder, Shari Duval, shares her visionary program: Veterans live with a rescued dog in the compound and train him to be their service dog to help them re-enter life with their families. The dogs use their energy and balance to help combat the soldiers’ posttraumatic stress so our heroes can re-integrate into the world. Awe Inspiring stories, Awe Inspiring dogs. Dogs truly are healers and teachers.
BIO:
I am the President for K9s For Warriors. We save warriors and rescue dogs. Some are veterans, some are active duty, and all are heroes and have served in the military. Our warriors all suffer from post-traumatic stress (PTSD) or traumatic brain injury (TBI), a deadly disorder.
I worked as a volunteer for veterans charities here in Jacksonville, Florida and watched the amazing work they do to empower our returning military veterans. I saw firsthand the number of warriors returning home with an invisible disorder, post-traumatic stress, it inspired me and my family to look for ways to aid these deserving heroes.
My son, a veteran K9 police officer, worked as a contractor for the Department of the Army as a bomb dog handler. He served two tours in Iraq and returned home with PTSD. This really hit home to our family. After two years of research on canine assistance for PTSD we decided the best way we could help these deserving warriors was to start a non-profit organization to train and give service canines to assist our warriors’ efforts to return to civilian life with dignity and independence.
Service canines, properly trained, are a profound alternative for recovery from PTSD and TBI. We have been honored to serve these brave men and women that have given this country so much. There is no charge for our service it is our duty, honor and privilege. For three weeks our warriors live at our facility where they train and learn to re-enter civilian life again. We are a small charity doing huge work, and making a difference. Our men and women of our military fought for our tomorrows, we fight for theirs.
Our program has been successful, with documented recovery from the debilitating horrors of war, but the need is critical and overwhelming. We currently have a year-long waiting list, we must do more. Our plans are to expand our current program to serve more warriors. We will continue our goal of serving our Nation’s Greatest Asset, our Military Men and Women.