Hooking Up Veterans With Dogs

War Dog Memorial in Guam- A soldier and his canine partner stop to pay their respects.

Rep. Michael Grimm, R-NY, spent 8 years in the Marines serving his country, before he started representing NY. He knows a little something about Veterans and their needs and has a wonderful idea on how we can help them.

His idea also includes saving shelter dogs. Pairing them with Veterans who will train the dogs to help other veterans. Many Veterans who are dealing with Post Traumatic Stress have trouble with a lack of focus and purpose in their life. Something we all need, every day. Training the dogs, is suspected to give them focus and purpose, by the fact that the dog they are training will go to a another Vet to help make his life easier.

It's not known for sure if training the dogs can help reduce Post Traumatic Stress, but Grimm would like to launch a pilot program to find out. The bill is co-sponsored by Reps. Peter King of New York, Leonard Lance of New Jersey,  and  Michael Michaud D-Maine.

The Human Society has endorsed the idea, and has already implemented a program of their own in D.C. called,  Dog Tags.  Camp Pendleton in California, also has a similar program called Operation Heroes and Hounds. Both programs use homeless and shelter dogs.

This is a no brainer - a true WIN WIN WIN situation. A soldier saves a dog, who saves a soldier, who saved the first soldier.

God bless the soldiers who protect us, they are our Heroes. And 

God bless the dogs who are their Heroes.

This article was originally posted on the web site Army Times, by Rick Maze.

Photo courtesy The Blog Of Record