Tails of Valor seeks to provide love and support to those who are in need of it the most: abandoned puppies and disabled military veterans. Finding the solution for these two big issues in America, Tails of Valor selflessly gives the opportunity for dogs to find a home and for veterans to be healed through therapeutic companionship. This nonprofit program, founded by Heather Lloyd, is fully dedicated to training rescued pups to become service canines. It also trains dogs to eventually be able to accompany disabled veterans living with physical injuries, traumatic brain injuries and post traumatic stress disorder, according to Critter Corral.
These dogs are taken in and trained by volunteers and trainers at a facility in Springfield Township, Pennsylvania, according to Stars and Stripes. The training program begins for puppies at the age of 8 to 14 weeks and lasts between a year to 16 months. Plenty of doggy treats are given out while commands are being taught and the pups are exposed to real-life, everyday situations that they will eventually deal with once fully trained. Because of this organization, dogs are able to learn how to provide protection, love and companionship. Every exercise the pups practice is correlated to a particular symptom that a veteran may experience.
Tails of Valor is changing the lives of people and animals. The dog that are trained are able to accomplish physical tasks to ensure an easier life for veterans who are in of help need. These furry friends are also able to provide emotional support for those suffering.
In an article from Stars and Stripes, Ray Rosenberger, a veteran who served in the Marines as a combat medical operator, described how his dog, Bella puts him at ease.
"When I'm having [PTSD] triggers, Bella will calm me down and bring me around," Rosenberger said. "A little puppy lick, or having someone to talk to, it gets me away from thinking about the war."
Psychological issues that military veterans experience can now be treated in a way that does not involve medicine but rather, a dog's company.
For a veteran to be a part of Tails of Valor, before applying to the program, he or she must provide proof of a disability that affects daily life and discharge papers, as well as a completion of inpatient rehab or a year since the injury occurred, Stars and Stripes mentioned. The candidate must also show he or she is a dog lover, through an evaluation that shows a happy relationship with a dog.