| Developed by an Iraq War veteran, Pets2Vets | | | | Beginning early next year, Pets2Vets plans to |
| aims to match veterans suffering from | | | | extend the program to other areas in order to |
| post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with dogs | | | | help veterans throughout the country. |
| rescued from local shelters in the Washington, D.C. | | | | The program has been widely successful so far. |
| area. The goal of the program is to help veterans | | | | According to participants, having someone to care |
| who do not qualify for similar programs that | | | | for and to focus on has helped many veterans |
| provide service dogs to traumatic brain injury | | | | recover from PTSD in a way that medication |
| patients and to promote awareness of PTSD | | | | cannot. In return, the dogs are provided with |
| among the public. | | | | loving owners and a home to call their own. |
| Pets2Vets is working with the Washington Animal | | | | Veterans report that adopting a pet can go a long |
| Rescue League to find dogs for adoption by | | | | way in their recovery from depression. |
| veterans at Walter Reed Army Medical Center | | | | As veterans return home to cope with |
| and the DC Veterans' Hospital. Veterans can | | | | psychological battle wounds, there will likely be |
| request a match up to two months before their | | | | more programs like Pets2Vets established to help |
| discharge. They can also make weekly visits with | | | | them. Not only can pet adoption lift a soldier's |
| their pets or spend time with other shelter pets | | | | spirits, but the program itself can help to reduce |
| before they have been formally matched. | | | | the stigma of PTSD among the public. |