By Cathy King | Executive Director
"I adopted a young yellow lab, through Canines With a Cause. At first, he was so crazy and hyper. I often considered returning him, and giving up being his forever home. His name is Romeo. He saved my life. Keeping him was like deciding to live. Suicide was no longer an option. I needed him. He needed me. We toughed it out. Now we are better friends then I could have ever imagined. I thank CWAC for saving Romeo from a shelter, and indirectly saving me from suicide."
Cameron contacted CWAC regarding getting a companion dog several years ago. Romeo seemed like a good fit, he was a young energetic Lab, perfect for an active, young man recently out of the service and getting on with his life. They attended training classes for a short while and seemed to be doing well, little did we know of Cameron's struggles with the young dog and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Thanks to the support of generous donors like you, CWAC will now be able to provide trained assistance dogs, free of charge, to qualified veterans. Our prison-based training program is ready to launch next month. Dogs will be saved from high-kill shelters, from there they will move into a local women's prison where they will live with two offenders who will train and take care of them. When they are able to pass certification testing and have appropriate skills and manners, they will be placed with veterans like Cameron.
The benefits of the program are three-fold. The offenders learn responsibility and skills that can help with employment upon release (dog training and grooming). They are also given the opportunity to give something back to the community. Shelter dogs are rescued and trained to be special companions or assistance dogs for veterans and other individuals in need, and the recipients of the dogs benefit from their service, unconditional love and companionship.
Studies suggest dogs may actually be able to repair certain mental health issues thanks to their positive influence on human brain chemistry and function.
GlobalGiving is offering nine bonus awards (including a $3,000 and $2,000 prize!) to the projects that raise the most money from their supporters in the month of December, beginning at 12:01 am on December 1st. Projects must raise at least $3,000 from 30 donors in order to qualify for a bonus award.
Please help us qualify for a bonus award. Your continued support allows us to expand and improve our programs benefitting those who have served and shelter dogs who deserve another chance.
Thank you,
Cathy King
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