Canadian MP faces court martial over PTSD service dog

Soldier faces court martial for bringing service dog to work
CTV Atlantic
December 20, 2013

A New Brunswick-based soldier is facing a court martial for bringing a service dog to work.

Stuart Murray is a military police officer who did two tours in Afghanistan and one in Bosnia.

The 43-year-old suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and has a dog named Vivian to help ease the symptoms. However, Murray has been charged with disobeying a lawful order because he brought Vivian to work against orders.

Stewart Murray, who suffers from PTSD, is facing a court martial for bringing a service dog to work.

“This dog is like medicine to him,” says Nova Scotia NDP MP Peter Stoffer. “You certainly wouldn’t refuse someone who is a diabetic from bringing their medicine to work.”

Murray was directed by the military to go to a civilian psychiatrist because of his illness and he was prescribed the service dog.

“It is a service dog. The psychiatrist recommended that this individual have this dog to do his day-to-day chores,” says Stoffer.

Retired Air Force Capt. Medric Cousineau knows Murray and he too suffers from PTSD. He left the military in 1991.

“I had a recurring horrible night terror every morning at 4:30,” he says.

Cousineau, who received Canada’s second highest order for bravery for a rescue at sea, was in a downward spiral for 25 years until August 2012, when he received his own service dog.

“She’s my savior,” he says.
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