Training Rescue Dogs as Service Dogs for Veterans

"I didn't know what it would be like to have a service dog, the only thing that I knew was they could go with you anywhere. I soon found out that they needed training first, I was having trouble with depression and I didn't know if I could deal with it, but going to class every week got me out of the house and I wanted to see how a dog is trained. At first I thought it would take a couple of months but I found that Coda had to go through the training like everyone else and there are no short cuts. If you work with your dog every day they learn faster but it doesn't happen that way, your dog has to learn to trust you first and then become your best buddy, then when you take him places he learns what he can and can't do. But the biggest thing is when PTSD hits you, your best buddy will listen to everything you say and clean your face along with it. That is the moment you start to understand that he is a being just like you, he wants to have fun and learn things just like you and it’s amazing how they tell you things just by the way they act and they learn to understand what you want until it happens, they are your life-line back to normal. My best buddy stays with me wherever I go, he just likes being with me, but his actions tell me he won't let me down." CWAC program participant and Veteran Dennis talking about his dog Coda

According to the ASPCA approximately 6.5 million companion animals enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.3 million are dogs. Each year, approximately 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized (670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats).  The number of dogs and cats euthanized in U.S. shelters annually has declined from approximately 2.6 million in 2011.  This decline can be partially explained by an increase in the percentage of animals adopted and an increase in the number of stray animals successfully returned to their owners.

Canines With a Cause (CWAC) was created with the intent to save healthy, adoptable dogs from local shelters and place them with war veterans as loving companions, service or assistance dogs. Our training process, teaching Veterans how to handle, understand and bond with their dogs is part of the healing process based upon our research with the National Institute For Veteran Studies. Can dogs help heal trauma, we think so.

Dogs in the CWAC program are rescued from local shelters, placed in the Women’s State Prison where they are assessed for behavior, trained to Canine Good Citizen status and loved by their women handlers. When appropriate, the dogs meet prospective Veteran partners and if we have a match, adopted by their new life companion. Continued training is provided to the team free of charge by the CWAC training staff until they acquire needed skills and certification.

A sustaining goal of Canines With a Cause is to educate people on the importance of companion animals as a resource.  These animals heal emotional pain, are the eyes and ears for those who cannot see or hear, help Veterans transition back into family and civilian life, comfort a child and bring us joy just by wagging their tags and being our unconditional loving partners. We also strive to eradicate the euthanasia of healthy, adoptable animals and find them loving homes helping their human counterparts along the way.

Thank you for making a difference in the lives of so many dogs in need of a loving home.

Woof! (Thank you in dog speak)

Cathy and the canines