War Vets Heal With the Help of Shelter Dogs

When a Sheriff and his wife divorced, their yellow Labrador Romeo found himself without a sole owner or place to call home. Instead, Romeo was placed into an animal shelter where he was overlooked for months before meeting a potential adopter. Cathy King, CWAC's very own Director decided to rescue Romeo with the hope of giving him a second chance. Little did she know there was a bigger plan for Romeo, one that included guiding a struggling veteran from rock bottom back to a thriving member of society. Enter Cameron.

Like many veterans, life after service can feel overwhelming and disorientating. This was the case for Cameron, an Army Infantry veteran who lacked the support and coping skills to combat his PTSD he had acquired due to his time in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan; a place that many consider the Valley of Death. Turning to alcohol and drugs as a fix-it method, he found himself getting into serious trouble with the law. Cameron knew something had to give so he considered getting a dog to help motivate him to hike and care for something worthwhile. That's when Cameron did and an internet search and found Canines With a Cause. After speaking with Cathy directly, it was apparent that Romero would be the best dog to suit his needs.

Through weekly classes, patience and commitment, Romeo became a positive influence on Cameron. Romeo gave Cameron a reason to stay home and not go out to the bars. Instead, they became hiking partners just as Cameron had hoped for, assisting him to the VA hospital and on long road trips. Romeo also helped pull Cameron out of his isolated shell and gave him a reason to connect with those around him as the public had a desire to pet and love on Romeo just as Cameron did.

Romeo is credited with saving his new owner's life as he was able to show Cameron a "new way of approaching life that [he] had been unable to do through therapy or the well-meaning advice of family and friends." Cameron and Romero's story is just one of many that we see through the work of Canines With a Cause. The bonds formed between struggling vets and the canines paired with them go way beyond what is expected.

As we enter a new year, please know your donations continue to help generations of veterans dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) from their time in service. Let's continue this important work together! We can't wait to show you what is to come this new year and hope you feel good knowing you are giving second chances to veterans and rescue dogs. So cheers to another successful, impactful new year! And thank you for staying with us, dear donor.

Links:

• Read Cameron's full story in Patti Kerr's book, Magical Dog 3
• New CWAC merch available now!