To help veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome, a new “Paws of War” chapter has opened in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Guardians of Rescue, a nation-wide animal rescue organization, started the Paws of War program to help the men and women who have risked everything for our country by training dogs to be service companions.
“Florida is no exception to the plight of homeless companion animals or veterans in need,” says Dori Scofield, vice president of Guardians of Rescue. “We are thrilled to have Lauren Driscoll become the director of our new Florida chapter.”
Studies have shown that trained service animals have been found to be a good form of treatment for those veterans who are suffering from PTSD. Guardians of Rescue started the Paws of War program, which helps both ends of the leash by saving abandoned dogs, providing them with proper veterinary treatment and training them to be service companions for our veterans in need. Being paired with a service animal gives many veterans a new leaf on life and has provided comfort for many who suffer daily with feelings of anxiety, depression, nightmares or flashbacks.
Guardians of Rescue has been very successful in pairing trained service companions with veterans from various military branches and active men and women. The presence of having a trained service dog has been shown to aid in the alleviation of PTSD symptoms. The Paws of War program has grown today to become its own 501c3 organization.
Lauren Driscoll owns Pet Peeves Dog Training and will be spearheading the new Paws of War chapter in Florida. A certified dog obedience trainer, she began training dogs in 2009 and worked alongside Guardians of Rescue in New York as a Paws of War trainer. Since moving to Florida, she has been committed to the cause and has worked non-stop by working with shelters in the area, specifically Dogs and Cats Forever: Animal Sanctuary & No Kill Shelter located in Fort Pierce, FL.
“I’ve trained 13 dogs already for Paws of War and look forward to expanding our Paws of War program into Florida,” states Driscoll. “I love what I do for the homeless dogs and for our country’s veterans who sacrifice so much for us all.”
“This is very exciting,” says Scofield. “The goal is to expand this program to every state to help as many veterans as we can.”
To learn more about Guardians of Rescue, visit the site at www.guardiansofrescue.org or Paws of War www.pawsofwar.org.