Thanks to an animal-loving philanthropist, equipping military veterans with service dogs takes no more than your click on a Facebook ‘Like’ button.
Charles Annenberg Weingarten, through The Annenberg Foundation and his nonprofit explore.org, has created the Dog Bless You USA Challenge Grant. For every 5,000 "Likes" its Facebook page receives between Memorial Day and July Fourth, the program will donate one service dog to a recent war veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)--up to 100 trained dogs at a total cost of $500,000.
The goal is to “highlight the healing role dogs play in the lives of veterans with PTSD, and give people the chance to come together to help bring as many as 100 service dogs to soldiers who suffer from the syndrome,” according to an explore.org media release.
“Like” button is akin to sending a card to soldiers
In a team effort that includes IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America), and a variety of other veteran and service dog organizations, “the initiative will provide people with an easy way to show support, and provide users with a steady stream of American dog-themed content ranging from personal stories gathered from soldiers to video footage of dogs around the country,” said the release.
Instead of seeking donations, organizers ask only for “Likes” on the Dog Bless You Facebook page. Also readers may upload patriotic photos and videos, leave comments, and post their personal canine-themed stories.
“We want to raise awareness about the amazing role dogs can play in the lives of veterans and people who suffer from emotional and psychological damage while giving everyone a chance to participate through a zero-cost contribution,” said Annenberg Weingarten. “The ‘Like’ button is akin to putting your name on a card to those soldiers. We’re excited to foster a discussion among vets and dog lovers during the campaign."
PTSD symptoms range from numbness to nightmares
PTSD is a severe anxiety response “that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal” such as “violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, or military combat,” according to the National Institute of Mental Health website. “People with PTSD have persistent frightening thoughts and memories of their ordeal and feel emotionally numb, especially with people they were once close to. They may experience sleep problems, feel detached or numb, or be easily startled.”
Dogs can help relieve those symptoms, as described by Sgt. Paul Jeffers of Paws of Honor, a nonprofit (not affiliated with Dog Bless You) that trains canines pulled from shelters to become loving, well-socialized, and well-mannered companions to veterans who need them.
“During my combat time I received several injuries/illnesses including PTSD and TBI (traumatic brain injury),” wrote Jeffers on the Paws of Honor website. “After trying everything available to treat these problems they never completely went away, so I ended up getting a dog to use as a service dog. I trained this dog with help and even though I'm not healed, I am better now. I started using her for therapy for other soldiers and they have had an easier time dealing with their PTSD, and getting service dogs as well. Some have been able to stop their medications after getting the dog and noticed a dramatic improvement in their quality of life.”
Annenberg Weingarten said, “Dogs are serving this country unlike any other animal--from the battlefields of war to the front lines of search and rescue to the ranks of police and fire forces across this country to the everyday person in need of a companion. This campaign is to channel the energy of the dog community into the gift of unconditional love and healing that only a canine can provide.”
Katerina Lorenzatos Makris (a.k.a. Kathryn Makris) has written 18 books for major publishers and hundreds of articles for publications such as National Geographic Traveler, San Francisco Chronicle, Mother Jones, Petside.com, and two regional news wire services.
A cofounder of AnimalBeat.org, she holds a B.A. in Environmental Science Studies and a lifelong interest in animal issues.
Among her books are Your Adopted Dog: Everything You Need to Know about Rescuing and Caring for a Best Friend in Need (The Lyons Press), coauthored with Shelley Frost, and The Eco-Kids, a series of novels for tweens (Avon Books).
Her story "Small Change" placed as a finalist in The Bark magazine's short fiction contest and appeared in the November 2010 issue.
She may be reached at youradopteddog@yahoo.com
PLEASE RESPECT COPYRIGHT LAW. If you like this article and would like to use it, please feel free to copy only the first paragraph with a link back to this page. To use more, kindly request permission at youradopteddog@yahoo.com
Comments