For too many soldiers, the mental and emotional wounds of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are crippling. FIDF is partnering with the Rehabilitation Department of Israel’s Ministry of Defense to ensure soldiers with PTSD, who often find themselves facing a lifetime of challenge, frustration, and pain, can continue to have a high quality of life through our Therapy Dog program. The program pairs a veteran suffering from PTSD who needs emotional support and improved self-image with a specially trained therapy dog upon returning home from service.
Numerous clinical and professional studies have proven the extraordinary effectiveness that therapy dogs can have in assisting soldiers with PTSD after service. The wide range of benefits include:
- Improved quality of life and daily activities
- Promotion of positive emotions and reduced PTSD symptoms
- Reduced use of medication
- Lowered levels of depression
- Improved sleep quality
- Increased social functioning, including volunteering or working
Receiving a therapy dog for emotional support is life changing. As coping with daily life becomes easier and anxieties decrease, veterans slowly regain the confidence to reintegrate into society. Each kennel has 15 dogs and each dog costs $26,000. The total financial support per group of 15 dogs is $391,500. These dogs will provide unconditional love and emotional support for deserving veterans with PTSD.
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