For the past 13 years, an organization in Ponte Vedra largely powered by volunteers and donors has literally been saving lives. K9s For Warriors is the nation’s largest provider of service dogs to veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury or military sexual trauma.
Pairing veterans with service dogs has proven effective in curbing one of the worst tragedies of the modern age, both in Northeast Florida and across the nation: veteran suicides. In fact, this innovative program’s success has prompted a demand so great that it now has a wait list of up to two years.
Since its humble beginnings, the organization has paired 1,082 veterans with their first service dogs. Some veterans who have been with the program for many years have gone on to receive their second and even third service dogs.
At this year’s Ponte Vedra Auto Show, attendees will have an opportunity to learn all about K9s For Warriors.
“We’ll be there greeting everybody and talking to people, sharing a little bit of our mission — and if you’re in the market to adopt a dog, we have some service dogs that don’t make it through our program, but they are wonderful dogs that can be adopted at no additional charge,” said Steven Carmichael, director of corporate partners for K9s For Warriors.
INCREDIBLE GROWTH
The roots of K9s For Warriors goes back to 2011 when the late Shari Duval’s son, a civilian K9 police bomb dog handler, returned from service in Iraq with PSTD. Duval noticed that her son was really only himself when he was with his dog.
Research validated her observations. Having a service dog has indeed been shown to mitigate the symptoms of PTSD. Duval helped to get her son’s dog certified, but she didn’t stop there.
“They grew it from her backyard, where they trained the dogs, her garage where they kenneled the dogs, to her house where she housed the warriors,” said Carmichael.
The grassroots effort soon grew to become a major force in helping veterans. Today, K9s For Warriors maintains two campuses — one in Ponte Vedra and the other in San Antonio, Texas.
TRAINING
The canines benefit from the program, as well. Most of them are rescue dogs.
When the team at K9s For Warriors acquires a dog, they untrain any undesirable behaviors and then retrain for positive behaviors and basic commands.
“When the warrior gets here, the dog is ready to go,” said Carmichael.
The warriors in the three-week residential program typically arrive on a Sunday and then are paired with their service dog on Monday. Then, the veteran and his or her dog begin to train for everyday life and whatever complications may arise.
“They go through every possible scenario that they will run into at home with the service dog while they’re here with us,” explained Carmichael. “So, they’re prepared to use their service dog in all those scenarios. That might be going through TSA at the airport, going to the zoo, going to a baseball game or any sort of sporting event. We put them through all those scenarios so they can finally get back to that life of being in their community, being able to go out to their children’s school activities or sporting activities or just go back to the grocery store or a big box retail store.”
When veterans apply for the program, the K9s For Warriors team walks them through the process and paperwork. Then, as veterans prepare to arrive for the three-week program, the team maintains contact with them.
One benefit is that the program is offered at absolutely no cost to the veteran.
“We cover all of their costs, travel, lodging, food, everything,” Carmichael said.
YOU CAN HELP
This is why donors and volunteers are so important to the mission of K9s For Warriors. There are many ways to support that mission, whether by making a financial donation, donating supplies, washing vehicles, cooking meals, etc.
To see the many ways to help the organization help veterans, go to k9sforwarriors.org, click “Menu” and then click “Ways to Support.”
Veterans Day — Nov. 11 — is the organization’s biggest fundraising day of the year and another opportunity to show one’s support. The organization will conduct a telethon in partnership with First Coast News in Jacksonville and KEN 5 in San Antonio. The telethon will air from 5 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
“We raise about $1 million just on Veterans Day with our telethon,” said Carmichael.
This year, a texting campaign has been arranged just for that day. Anyone who texts K9S to 41444 can make a donation on Veterans Day.
For those who would like to know more about K9s For Warriors, an open house, Christmas at K9s, will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Dec. 21.
Visitors can see the Warrior Clubhouse, the bone-shaped pool and warrior apartments. They can shop at the pop-up store, enjoy some hot chocolate and cookies, meet some of the puppies and dogs in training and one of the warriors with his or her service dog.
“It’s a really cool experience,” said Carmichael.
The campus is located at 114 Camp K9 Road, Ponte Vedra.
