LITTLE RIVER, SC (WBTW)- Millions of veterans suffer from PTSD, but one local non-profit is helping them cope by training service dogs.
“I deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, 2004, and 2005,” says Jason Shanahan.
Shanahan served in the Marine Corps and like 20 percent of the other veterans who fought in Operation Iraqi Freedom, he suffers from PTSD.
“There’s no way to deploy to a war time situation and come back the same way you were before you left,” says Shanahan.
But what’s helping him is his dog, Van.
Shanahan found Van on the side of the road and rescued him. Van then went through training with Canine Angels. Van helps to relieve Shanahan’s anxiety and can pick up items for Shanahan, who seriously hurt his back during his first deployment.
“He’s able to carry grocery bags out of the grocery store for me and he acts as a second set of hands for me,” Shanahan says.
Canine Angels has trained 250 service and therapy dogs, and 80 percent of those are for veterans. Part of the training includes a two week boot camp on site, then training in grocery stores and restaurants for real world scenarios.
“He definitely provides a lot of stress relief when I go out and I’m in a big crowd,” Shanahan also says.
Richard Kaplan started Canine Angels in 2011. All of the dogs that are trained have been rescued. He was not able to serve in the military because of an injury, but says this is his way to serve.
“If the time ever came in my life where I was financially secure enough, healthy enough, and have enough time, I would serve as an old man and that’s what I’m doing. That’s what this is. Payback,” says Kaplan.
“It’s hard to put it into words exactly, but I just feel better overall. The dog just makes me feel like a better person,” says Shanahan.
For more information about Canine Angels click here: http://canineangelsusa.org/
