How Rescue Dogs Are Helping Veterans With PTSD | National Geographic
My Dog Freedom is… I can't say he's a pet because that's just… it's not enough. Freedom not just changed my life; he did save my life. I was in a hard downward spiral, literally sitting in this chair, starving myself to death. I wouldn't answer the phone, nothing. I wouldn't even turn on the TV. I just sat here, so I was in a very bad place.
I know his life was saved by being pulled out of that shelter. Since both of us have gone through trauma, we actually bond even closer. I know what his triggers are, and I try to protect him. He knows what my triggers are, and he protects me. The chair, to me, is just a chair now. It goes along with anyone that's suffering from the invisible wounds of war—they can't relate to their family or outsiders. It's just a very difficult thing to express yourself and what you've seen, and what you've had to do, and the friends you've lost, or being blown up, or being shot. These are traumatic incidents that not many of us experience.
The dog doesn't require an explanation; they just are there for them and don't ask any questions. I think we've rescued over 300 dogs now. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, okay. We're seeing over 22 veterans a day committing suicide, and that is significantly higher than we've ever seen in the history of our military. When you come here, we offer a solution to solving post-traumatic stress disability.
Does it ever go away? No. But can you learn to live with it? Yes, yes. All right, so all the exercises, guys, if you have any trouble, let me know. Use your treats, use your voice, mold, lure—do whatever you need to do to get them there. Okay, enjoy your dogs, have fun.
I like to say that a service dog is in lieu of medication; it's medication on four legs. They're not having to take drugs to overcome their symptoms, where the dog is replacing that. Hey, let me see it. The reason why I got a service dog is because it was my last reason. I didn't have anything left. By the end of 2012, I was at the bottom of the barrel: medications, group therapy, talk therapy, acupuncture, yoga, dunking your head in a bucket of water—I mean, whatever you name it, they tried it.
If it worked, man! I don’t think I could see that piece of paper with all the medications that I was on. I would describe myself now, and my family, as thriving and very excited for the future. I honestly, two years ago, would have laughed in your face if you would have said that those words would be coming out of my mouth. Axel and I saved each other, no doubt about it. And all the graduates we've had, we've not had one suicide attempt. If that were the only thing we ever did, then we can stand on those laurels. [Music]