PAW PAW, Michigan (WOOD) – Two veterans were officially given service dogs on Friday in a new program from the Van Buren County Veterans Services.
The Emotional Support Animal Program pairs veterans suffering from PTSD with emotional support dogs trained by: Warrior K9 in Sturgis. The veterans are interviewed and screened to make sure an emotional support animal is a good fit for you.
Scout and Piper were paired with veterans from Lawton and South Haven. The recipients will train with the dogs for a month.
David Krzychi, director of Veteran Services, said the emotional support animals mean different things to different people.
“They served, didn’t they? I mean, some people have anxiety issues or depression or some guys have PTSD and this is a way, clinically proven and scientifically proven, that helps people deal with the stressors they went through while they were employed,” Krzychi said.
Funding for the program came from a grant from the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency. With this year’s success, Krzycki said the county has received funding to continue the program next year.