Finding healing through companionship: How service dogs support veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder
In Kansas City, a transformative program is helping veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Air Force veteran Heather O'Brien, who served in a challenging internment camp in Iraq, returned home struggling with anxiety and uncertainty. A toy labradoodle named Albus and the Dogs 4 Valor initiative, part of the Olathe, Kansas-based organization The Battle Within, were instrumental in his recovery journey.
Dogs 4 Valor is designed to assist veterans and first responders in collaboration with their caregivers, addressing issues such as depression and anxiety. Program director Sandra Sindeldecker notes that many veterans with PTSD often remain isolated at home, struggling with severe anxiety and avoidance of social interactions. "They are very nervous and some don't even lea...