Rescue group gives second life to dogs by pairing them with veterans in need
By Jennifer Franciotti
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FOREST HILL, Maryland (WBAL) — Rescue dogs from animal shelters across the country are finding a new purpose thanks to the Florida-based organization K-9s for Warriors.
“He helped pull me out of a really dark place in my life where I didn’t have any hope or any real way out,” Harford County veteran William Lins said about his service dog, Link. “He has been an absolute world of difference. My life has drastically changed since the day he came home with me.”
The two have been paired together for more than a year. Link was rescued from a shelter in Georgia by K-9s for Warriors, which pulls dogs from mostly high-kill shelters across the country and puts them through months of training to become specialized service dogs for veterans like Lins.
“They’re doing something amazing for the animals. They’re doing something amazing for the veterans,” Lins said. “Even the animals that don’t end up paired with veterans end up being either station animals for a hot fire house or a police house.”
The service dogs are matched with veterans suffering from trauma, like traumatic brain injuries or sexual assault that occurred in the military. Link helps Lins with his PTSD and mobility.
K-9s for Warriors estimates 20 veterans a day die by suicide in the U.S., so the hope is that a dog with a second chance will make a difference to those who’ve sacrificed their physical and mental health in service of this country. Lins said Link has been a gamechanger when it comes to his PTSD from his time as a Marine.
“He took me from a place where I was fixed and hooked to the worst memories of my life in everything I did every single day, and I went from a place where I was stuck with those horrible memories and now I am leashed to the best thing in my life,” Lins said.
K-9s for Warriors provides service dogs free of charge to veterans.
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