Helping Both Ends of the Leash: A Closer Look at Paws of War

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Freedom and I regularly pass Paws of War on our walks through Nesconset. As an Army veteran, dog obedience instructor and someone whose work focuses on human-and-dog wellness, I’ve known about the organization since its early days.

Founded in 2014, Paws of War works with veterans, first responders, military members and animals through programs that include service-dog training, companion-animal adoption, veterinary assistance, overseas animal rescue and support for retired working dogs.

Their mission can be summed up in one phrase:

Helping Both Ends of the Leash.

More Than Service Dogs

Service dogs may be what many people first associate with Paws of War, but the organization does much more.

It trains rescued dogs for eligible veterans and first responders, helps place companion animals and works to reunite military members with dogs and cats they bonded with while serving overseas.

That last part especially stands out to me.

Anyone who has served knows that relationships can form in unexpected places. Sometimes that relationship happens to have four legs.

An animal may never have officially belonged to the military, but to the person who fed it, protected it or found companionship in it during a deployment, getting that animal home can mean preserving an important relationship from that experience.

Veterinary Help for Veterans

One Paws of War program I particularly want local veterans to know about is its Mobile Veterinary Clinic.

I’ve used this resource myself.

The program provides veterinary services to qualifying veterans and first responders based on financial need and available funding. Services can include basic wellness care, vaccinations and other routine veterinary needs.

The important thing to know is that there isn’t one permanent weekly schedule. Individual clinic days are announced separately and require appointments.

For someone trying to care for an animal on a limited income, simply knowing that resource exists can make a difference.

A Service Dog Is More Than a Vest

There is another part of this conversation that I feel strongly about as both a veteran and dog obedience instructor: service-dog standards.

Under current federal ADA rules, there is no required federal service-dog ID card, registry, certification or vest. People with disabilities may also train their own service dogs, which it. honestly the best training IF people know how to properly train their dogs.

Those protections matter because not every disability is visible, and someone should not have to reveal private medical information every time they enter a business.

But I also believe there is room for a serious conversation about clearer standards.

Buying a vest online does not make a pet a service dog.

At the same time, we shouldn’t judge whether a service dog is legitimate simply because it is small, isn’t wearing a vest or doesn’t look the way we expect a service dog to look.

I would like to see a system that protects both sides: the privacy and independence of people with disabilities and the legitimacy of trained service-dog teams.

Any such system would need to remain affordable, recognize owner-trained dogs and protect medical privacy. But some consistent standard for training and safe public behavior could help protect the people who genuinely depend on these dogs.

Service-dog access and simply being dog friendly are not the same thing.

I’d love to see more places welcome dogs.

But service-dog access exists because someone with a disability needs the trained assistance of that animal.

That distinction matters.

Community, Movement and Dogs

One of the upcoming events displayed at Paws of War is the Paws for Freedom 5K Run & Walk on October 4 at Heckscher State Park.

For Doggone Healthy Choices, I love what that represents:

movement, dogs, veterans and community.

Because sometimes helping both ends of the leash really does begin with putting one foot in front of the other.

We often talk about humans rescuing dogs.

We don’t talk nearly enough about the ways dogs help us.

Sometimes it’s through a trained service task.

Sometimes it’s the morning walk.

Sometimes it’s companionship.

And sometimes it’s simply another heartbeat beside us.

One foot. One paw. One step at a time.

If you’ve participated in a Paws of War program, I’d love to hear about your experience. And if you know a veteran, first responder or military family who might benefit from one of its programs, share this post with them.

Have a happy and healthy tail-wagging day,

Pam & Freedom

Doggone Healthy Choices