Soldiers returning from the war zones need a helping hand, or paw. Post-traumatic stess disorder, or PTSD, is no whimpering matter. Soldiers suffering from PTSD often have trouble readjusting to normal life, have difficulty sleeping, suffer from severe anxiety attacks, and in extreme cases, they can be a threat to other people around them. The military is finally wising up to this growing problem, and they are discovering that service dogs can be a part of the solution. This week, the army is having it's first ever animal therapy symposium in Ft. Meyer, Virginia. They will likely hear from all kinds of soldiers that are helped by therapy dogs. Some find that having a four legged companion helps break the ice in meeting strangers. Some find that having a dog in the bedroom helps them sleep, because they can learn to ignore meaningless sounds and trust that the dog will alert them to anything dangerous.
Pets2Vets is one of the great organizations helping out. Pets2Vets matches veterans with shelter dogs in the Washington DC area need of homes. Changing the life of an American veteran, and saving a mutt at the same time!
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