FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM)- A local organization matches up Northwest Arkansas veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder with service dogs. The group "Soldier On Service Dogs" rescues shelter dogs and trains them and their veterans.
Joshua Hale participates in the program with his service dog Grunt. Grunt is a two-year-old shepherd mix. Hale served as a medic in Iraq from 2008-2009, and now has PTSD.
"You get that tightness in your chest, but then it just goes away, it's not there anymore, it's 'hey we're safe,'" Hale said.
Hale said he wanted a service dog to help cut back on his anxiety medication. He was medically discharged from the Army National Guard as a sargeant when he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, shortly after his tour in Iraq.
"Not only does he work for me, he's given me a purpose to work for him," Hale said. "Whenever his vest is on, he's at work, and whenever he is at the house he's a normal pup, we rough house, we play catch and he loves squeakers."
Angie Pratt founded "Soldier On Service Dogs" in May of 2014, after her son-in-law served a tour overseas as a Marine, and came home with PTSD. She said the program is free to qualifying veterans.
"We try not to pass anything onto the veterans because most of our veterans are 100% disabled, so they're living on disability payments," Pratt said.
She said the only requirements veterans have to meet are they have to be in counseling, and approved for a mental health dog by their doctor. Pratt said the veteran should live within 50 miles of Fayetteville, because the dog and veteran have weekly training sessions.
"We figure that just in raw costs a year, that it approaches $3,000 and then you throw in the training we have to train the dog, we have to train the veteran," She said.
They said they spend $25,000- $30,000 to train just one dog. Hale said having Grunt by his side is priceless.
"I adopted him from a shelter so I feel like I saved him, but after having this program and feeling the connection that I have with him, he has definitely saved me," Hale said.
"Soldiers On Service Dogs" is looking for funding, according to Pratt. They have eight veterans waiting on dogs and 50 more applicants. Pratt said Arkansas Gives Day will be a big help to her organization.
According to the website, Arkansas Gives will be on April 2 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Each dollar that is given to a participating non-profit will help them qualify for bonus money from the Arkansas Community Foundation. For more information, click here.