Help a Veteran Get a Service Dog

Donald Myer is a Vietnam Veteran who served our country from 1969-1970 during the worst period of the Tet Offensive in Vietnam. He is diagnosed with severe PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and is certified 100% disabled by the VA. During his front line service he witnessed 30 troops burn to death while enduring daily incoming rockets and mortar attacks. Myer was hit with shrapnel. As a Vietnam Veteran he was never met with the Hero welcome our current service members receive upon return from deployment. He along with his fellow service members were greeted by being spit on, called names and cursed out along with being physically attacked by civilians. There were no programs, resources, or medical compensation for PTSD until recently. Myer is now receiving care through the VA health system but a life time of neglect to his illness has left him struggling to regain the quality of life he deserves in his senior years. Service Protection Dogs for World Peace has just started outreach into his community to ask for help to raise the necessary funding to complete Myer and Baron’s service dog and handler training program. Baron was imported from Europe and arrived through customs last Friday at Dallas Airport. When Myer picked up his dog the bond was instant. Myer is currently working with the trainers at GatorlandK9 daily through phone calls and tutorials provided to honor the working dog protocol necessary for an effective service dog. This heartwarming real life story is one that is rarely seen in the public’s eyes because Senior Veterans are not typically a priority with service dog nonprofits because of the number of new young veterans entering early retirement.