ANIMALS HELPING VETERANS

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Attorney Amanda Reine Bedford-Rank is a proud supporter and participant at Loudoun Therapeutic Riding who has partnered with the Wounded Warrior Project to allow Veterans equestrian therapy to with horses at no cost. To learn more or how you can support veterans and equestrian therapy please visit their website at: https://ltrf.org/

Many Veterans who have survived trauma can relate to the unfortunate trauma some animals have been subjected to. Specifically, for Veterans in the process of recovery from a physical or mental disability, a pet can provide comfort, companionship, a sense of purpose, and unconditional love. For those who are not in a position to have their own pet, consider volunteering or donating to support a rescue group as part of your recovery plan. 

Additionally, some dogs have been trained to provide certain disability assistance. These working dogs can provide assistance such as:

1. sight/guidance

2. grounding

3. tactile intervention

4. heart rate reregulation

5. medication retrieval and reminders

6. exit location

7. turning on/off lights

8. alert, interruption, movement, and redirection

For a full list of working dog trained tasks that employers should recognize as a disability accommodation, please visit the Job Accommodation Network at: https://askjan.org/index.cfm

The beneficial health benefits of a pet have been widely documented and as such, the Department of Veterans Affairs assists eligible Veterans in  for compensation, training, equipment, and insurance through various programs to help Veterans afford to have a pet. To learn more please visit:

https://www.prosthetics.va.gov/factsheet/PSAS-FactSheet-ServiceDogs.pdf

https://www.prosthetics.va.gov/serviceandguidedogs.asp

 https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/va-grant-program-provide-service-dogs-veterans-ptsd/

With respect to adopting a pet for companionship, comfort, and love, the following resources Reine Rank Law Practice supports. 

Attorney Amanda Reine Bedford-Rank is the pro-bono volunteer attorney for the Humane Society of Loudoun County (HSLC). Through this volunteer work, Mrs. Bedford-Rank is able to assist HSLC with adoption agreements, animal welfare advice and several other areas of legal assistance that help support HSLC in their work in placing pets in forever homes. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer with HSCL or adopting or fostering a pet please visit their website at: https://humaneloudoun.org/

Veterans Moving Forward provides "service dogs and canine therapy services to veterans with physical and/or mental health challenges, at no cost to the veteran." While the process requires an application, once approved there is no cost to the Veteran as it is a qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. 

To learn more, apply, donate, or volunteer https://vetsfwd.org/

Crisis Dogs NC rescues dogs of all breeds from kill shelters, hoarders, substandard backyard breeders, and from lives restricted to chains. It provides foster homes, full medical care, and transport  to screened adopters by land through driver relay-networks and by air through their partnership with PilotsnPaws. These partnerships allow them to find the best homes for their rescues across the United States. 

Crisis Dogs NC also provides therapy dogs for Veterans, children with autism, and disabled persons whose disability does not preclude their caring for a dog. Crisis Dogs NC depends solely on the work from volunteers and donations for their work. Additionally, donations to support the foster care of one of these at-risk dogs is only $25/mo. To learn more about volunteering, donating, fostering or adopting, please visit their website at https://www.crisisdogsnc.org/