Service Dogs Serving Veterans With PTSD

Service Dogs Helping Veterans With PTSD
WLTX News
Clark Fouraker
November 14, 2014

Sgt. Willie Roberts (ret.) and RC

(Photo: WLTX)

Columbia, SC (WLTX) - After 7 combat deployments, mostly to Iraq and Afghanistan, retired Army Sergeant Willie Roberts has some hard memories.

"I'm trying to keep it together here because it just makes me think about stuff," Roberts said during our interview.

When symptoms from his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder begin to show, his therapy dog "RC" goes to work.

"These dogs don't cure PTSD, but they give them the necessary tools to start being a real active, valuable member of our community," said Jen Rogers of the Palmetto Animal Assisted Life Services or PAALS.

"Right now the VA is trying conduct studies to determine wether or not, statistically, if these veterans are benefitting from this tool of a PTSD service dog," Rogers said.

The study is important because right now the VA doesn't reimburse therapy dogs according to Rogers.

"80% of the people on our wait list are local veterans that need this help and we haven't even brought everyone home yet," she said.
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This is the reason the VA should approve of PTSD Service Dogs.

History of Therapy Dogs • 1976: Elaine Smith RN started a systematic approach to use and training • Smiths dogs visited institutions with a noted physiological effect on the patients: – Lower Blood Pressure – Stress Relief – Raising Spirits – Overcoming psychological disorders

Think about how long they have been used.