Latest news with #K9sforWarriors
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Service dog ‘life changing' for Sequim military veteran
This story was originally posted on For some military veterans, the wounds of war are invisible, but ever present. 'I have PTSD,' Mike Abkem told KIRO Newsradio. It's a condition Abkem said he developed during two tours in Iraq. He said he first noticed the symptoms when he became fearful of going into crowds. 'I used to not even go out,' he shared. 'Like if my wife wanted to go shopping, I'd just stay at home, or if (my family) wanted to go to the fair or any type of activity like that, I would just stay at home because of the crowds.' Abkem and his wife have seven children, five of whom still live at home with them in Sequim. He said PTSD not only affected him, but also his entire family. Then, he found Scotty. 'Scotty? He's special,' Abkem said, beaming. Scotty is a pure-bred English lab and service animal he was connected with through K9s for Warriors. 'Our program is provided at no cost to the veterans because we are a nonprofit and because of generous donors we have in our program,' spokeswoman Carly Kramer explained. She said K9s for Warriors is the United States' largest provider of trained service dogs for veterans with PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and military sexual trauma—in short, the hidden wounds of war. Kramer said the program goes beyond matching a veteran with a dog. 'Every veteran goes through a three-week training program with their service dog that has already been trained for six to eight months, and that three-week training period is for the veteran to really find that irreplaceable bond with a service dog,' she shared. After training, she said, 'We send them home and keep up with their journey. Whether they've been in our program five months ago or five years ago, we're still keeping up with their journeys.' For Abkem, those journeys now include what once seemed impossible. 'Going through crowds and stuff,' he said, noting the fear eases with his service dog beside him. And Abkem said Scotty can sense when he's in trouble. 'If I have an anxiety attack, I could have him lay down on my lap, putting pressure on my legs to relieve some of the anxiety and give me something to concentrate on as he's trying to help me relax my body and center myself on him,' he explained. Abkem said service animals can truly be life-changing for veterans and their families. 'He is my best friend, that's not human,' he shared.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Local non-profit K9s for Warriors helps craft bill to support veteran service dog programs
On Thursday, United States Senators reintroduced a bill that would help provide service dogs to veterans in need. The bipartisan Service Dogs Assisting Veterans (SAVES) Act, would establish a program through the Department of Veterans Affairs to award grants to non-profit organizations that provide that service. K9s for Warriors, a non-profit organization based out of Ponte Vedra Beach, said it worked with the senators to get the bill ready for consideration. Members of the organization, along with service dogs, joined them on Capitol Hill this month. 'Service dogs have a proven track record of providing life-saving assistance to Veterans in critical need,' said Bill McCabe, Vice President of Government & External Affairs, K9s For Warriors. 'The SAVES Act will ultimately put more service dogs in the hands of Veterans with visible and invisible disabilities, allowing them to regain their independence and reintegrate into civilian life. We applaud this bipartisan, bicameral effort and urge Congress to pass this important legislation without delay.' Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) are leading the charge within the Senate. 'Long after the fighting on the battlefield ends, too many of the courageous servicemembers come home and continue to battle against enemies that many consider just as insidious as those with guns, grenades, and rockets. That is why in 2021, I introduced the PAWS Act that created a pilot program to provide canine training to eligible veterans, but it is clear we must continue to build on that effort to ensure this program is expanded to veterans in need,' said Senator Tillis. The SAVES Act was introduced before in 2023, but did not become law. Below are the requirements organizations would have to meet to receive funding: 'Under the SAVES Act, nonprofit organizations would be required to submit an application to the Secretary that includes a description of the training that will be provided by the organization to eligible veterans; the training of dogs that will serve as service dogs; the aftercare services that the organization will provide for the service dogs and eligible Veteran; the plan for publicizing the availability of service dogs through a marketing campaign; the committee of the organization to have humane standards or animals. Nonprofit organizations would also need to certify that they are accredited by Assistance Dogs International or another widely recognized accreditation organization.' Read the full legislation: [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
