The three veterans from the United States, who all live on New York鈥檚 Long Island, suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and have sought solace through pet therapy, namely, a loyal dog to keep them company. Image: AFP/Johannes Eisele
Michael Kidd, now 84 years old, fought in the Korean War. His young German shepherd Millie helps calm him down when things start to swirl, usually at night.
Harry Stolberg, a 42-year-old former Marine who served in Bosnia, Liberia and Nigeria, has a chocolate Labrador named Rocky who wakes him up from his troubled聽dreams.
And 31-year-old Phil Davanzo, who carried the bodies of fallen comrades during a hostage rescue operation that went wrong off Somalia in 2011, hopes his Rottweiler puppy will soon be trained聽to聽support聽him during his panic attacks.
The three veterans from the United States, who all live on New York鈥檚 Long Island, suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and have sought solace through pet therapy, namely, a loyal dog to keep them company.
The shelter animals are either聽trained聽or being聽trained聽to help them through difficult times by Paws of War, an association funded entirely by private donations that then provides the service聽dogs聽free of charge.
Veteran Harry Stolberg says his dog Rocky helps him wake up from the nightmares that have come after his service overseas in the Marine Corps. Image: AFP/Johannes Eisele
The group will also train a veteran鈥檚 dog if he or she already has one.
鈥淭he biggest thing is he wakes me up from nightmares,鈥� Stolberg said of three-year-old Rocky.
鈥淗e can open the door, come in my room, turn on the lights, take my blinders off me鈥� and lick my hands so I wake up.鈥�
Rocky, whose 18 months of training were completed six months ago, also helps Stolberg navigate large crowds, which can be triggering.
鈥淚f I cannot move, he will get me out of that crowd, he will pick up on that. He will walk around me and look at it and if I don鈥檛 respond, he will walk away from the crowd with me hooked up to him,鈥� he said.
Paws of War, their acronym is a play on POW, used to signify prisoners of war, has been active since 2014.
More than 100聽dogs聽have been聽trained聽so far, and the therapeutic results for their masters have been significant.
Off the meds
Kidd, who suffers from severe PTSD, has been able to reduce his intake of medication thanks to Millie.
At night when things are tough, 鈥渟he will come over to me, she will put her paw on my shoulder, on my chest, and just give me a big slobber,鈥� said Kidd, whose father was in Normandy on D-Day. 鈥淭hat is just saying, I am here for you.鈥�
U.S. military veteran Michael Kidd and his companion dog Millie leave after a training session at the Paws of War office in Nesconset, New York. Image: AFP/Johannes Eisele
Stolberg used to need sleeping pills to get through the night, but not anymore, thanks to Rocky.
鈥淪leeping was my biggest problem鈥� Now I only have a nightmare once or twice a month, instead of every day,鈥� he explained.聽 鈥淎 lot of that is also because I know that when I go to sleep, he is in the room, he is going to wake me up no matter what.鈥�
鈥楺uite a process鈥�
It takes 18 to 24 months to teach聽dogs聽what to do when a聽troubled聽veteran sends distress signals, according to Rebecca Stromski, a senior trainer for Paws of War whose husband served in Afghanistan and Kuwait.
鈥淚t鈥檚 quite a process actually, creating mutual respect and a connection between the service dude and the service dog,鈥� she said.
Rebecca Stromski, a senior trainer for Paws of War whose husband served in Afghanistan and Kuwait, says it takes 18 to 24 months to teach dogs what to do when a troubled veteran sends distress signals. Image: AFP/Johannes Eisele
鈥淥nce the foundations are in place and the dog starts feeling if things are going well or not for the veterans, they start to do certain motions when the guys are fidgeting,鈥� Stromski explained. 鈥淚 can start and cue that behavior and use that as an alert.鈥�
In the face of seemingly interminable wars for U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq, deployments which began in 2001, veterans聽are experiencing PTSD symptoms on a regular basis.
Paws of War has more requests for service animals than it can fulfill, with 50聽veterans聽on the waiting list, according to the group鈥檚 co-founder Dori Scofield.
Both ends of the leash
After running an animal shelter for 30 years, Scofield launched Paws of War after being contacted by聽veterans聽returning home from Afghanistan and Iraq.
Those soldiers had become attached to dogs they had found in those countries but were unable to bring them back home.
Through word of mouth recommendations, the association quickly became a top meeting place for the 75,000-strong veteran community on Long Island, one of the biggest in the U.S.
Michael Kidd鈥檚 dog Millie is being trained at Paws of War to help Kidd when times are tough. Image: AFP/Johannes Eisele
鈥淲e get applications every day, we cannot keep up,鈥� Scofield said. 鈥淚 cannot train enough dogs聽fast enough.鈥�
She has opened satellite offices in Florida and in northern New York state. She has also launched a free mobile veterinary clinic where聽veterans聽can bring their companion animals.
Dogs聽who might have ended up put to sleep in shelters now have homes, and聽veterans are rediscovering 鈥渁 reason to get up every day, get moving, get out,鈥� Scofield said.
鈥淚t has been just so awesome, helping both ends of the leash.鈥� HM/JB
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