November 11th, Veterans Day, a day where we honor all of the courageous men and women who have served in the Armed Forces. We appreciate and respect the bravery that those serving in the military exude on a day to day basis. But did you know that up to 30% of American military veterans experience some form of mental disability or PTSD upon returning home from combat? It is even more disheartening to learn that of the 30% of people suffering, only 40% of those men and women are actively seeking help and other treatments.
Service Animals Save the Day
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, service animals are officially recognized as dogs that are trained to do work or perform everyday tasks for people with disabilities. Service animals are trained to do all kinds of physical tasks from things like guiding a blind person and retrieving items, to pulling a wheelchair. Service animals can also be trained to be more emotionally supportive of a person with PTSD and can guide them through a scary anxiety or panic attack.
For military veterans specifically, service animals have been shown to help them achieve an overall higher quality of life. Countless surveys and studies have reported that veterans utilizing the benefits of service animals have found that they experienced lower levels of depression and anxiety. Lower levels of anxiety and depression ultimately means fewer hospital visits, and an overall reduction in medical and therapeutic costs.
Looking for a Service Animal?
There are hundreds of organizations across the country that train and provide high-quality service dogs to disabled American veterans. Here are three of our favorites!
The mission of Patriot Paws is to help restore a veteran’s physical and emotional independence as much as possible through the use of a service animal. If you are interested in acquiring their services or even just interested in volunteering for them, you can contact them here.
MK9s Service Dogs completes a comprehensive matching process to find the perfect veteran and service animal match. By filling out the veteran application, MK9s will get to know you a little better and be able to find or train a dog that best matches your specific needs. Contact them here to learn more about all they have to offer.
The goal of America’s VetDogs is to help enhance a disabled veteran’s mobility and emotional independence and allow them to live a proud and self-reliant life. America’s VetDogs specialize in training animals that can help veterans suffering from physical injuries, PTSD, hearing and/or vision loss, and unexpected seizures. You can contact them here!
Want to hear the best part? All three of these organizations provide their services at little to no cost to veterans!
More than a Furry Friend
Dogs can be so much more than a furry friend when they are given the opportunity and proper training to become a certified service dog. If you think that you or someone you know would benefit from the capabilities of a service dog, do not hesitate to reach out to any of the organizations mentioned above or listed here.
If you are ever in need of transportation for your service animal, give Airpets International a call. We specialize in domestic and international pet transportation and will take care of all the details ensuring your dog is cared for, just as they care for you.
Airpets International thanks and honors every military member for their courageous service!
