Dogs have long been touted as great companions. Now there’s growing evidence that they may be therapeutic for military members and veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
A July 16, 2018 article in Consumers Advocate profiled the work of K9s For Warriors, a nonprofit group that pairs service animals with military members who have PTSD. A recent study led by Purdue University showed that service dogs helped reduce depression and anxiety among veterans with PTSD and curbed absenteeism from work due to health issues.
“Most PTSD goes untreated,” said Andrea Roberts, a research scientist in Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Department of Environmental Health. “Individuals suffering from PTSD have higher tendencies for cardiovascular disease, high-blood pressure, and autoimmune disease.”
Read the Consumers Advocate article: K9s For Warriors – Because Together We Stand