Wounded Warriors, Legion mark milestone of pairing 100 service dogs with veterans

A program pairing veterans with PTSD with service dogs is celebrating it’s 100th partnership. CTV’s Dave Charbonneau reports.

Army veteran John Parker spent years afraid to step outside his own front door.

“I got to a point, prior to my release and after my release, where I couldn’t leave the house. I was really afraid of me,” Parker said.

But that changed three months ago when he met Pauly, a PTSD service dog trained specifically for him.

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“When we were introduced, it was just an instant connection, both ways,” said Parker.

Now, thanks to Pauly, leaving the house has become more of a reality.

“Instead of going out into a supermarket and having my head on a swivel because I’m looking for a threat, now I’m focused on her. So that little world that I’m worried about becomes much smaller and much easier to control, I think, or function in,” he said.

Pauly isn’t just any service dog. She represents a major milestone for Wounded Warriors Canada, an organization dedicated to supporting ill and injured veterans.

“This is our 100th since we started our partnership with the Royal Canadian Legion Ontario Command in 2018. So, it’s already starting to show great results. And we’re very, very excited about this,” said Philip Ralph, Wounded Warriors Canada Director of Clinical Services.

Each dog is custom trained to meet the specific needs of its veteran.

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“Towards the end of their training, they start customizing their learning to match the veteran’s needs for their specific disability diagnosis. So Pauly has some very specific skills that help mitigate John’s disability,” said Kat Forder, Fireteam K9 director of Facility Dogs.

Pauly has done more than ease Parker’s symptoms. She has helped rebuild his life.

“I think he felt guilty because he couldn’t go out with me and stuff. And now, you know, we went out for our anniversary in December. We went out for Valentine’s breakfast. And so, we’re able to reintegrate into society,” said Parker’s wife, Tracey Brais-Parker.

For Parker, Pauly has done something he never thought would be possible.

“She made it safer. She made the world safer,” he said. “She opened the door not just to my house, but to the world.”