Emotional Support Dog Veteran Outreach Program
Air Force Veteran, Raina Stroman
“I suffer from dissociation, and sometimes I’ll get triggered and it’s like I’m in third person view,” said Stroman. “I have not gone into that at all today, which is rare for me. I think just having Ace near me will be like a comfort and it will keep me grounded and focused.”
Each year WBWF pairs an emotional support dog with a Veteran. As referenced in an article by the USO highlighting our companion dog program, multiple studies have shown that Veterans paired with companion dogs report lower symptoms of PTSD, symptoms of depression-related functioning, better interpersonal relationships, less substance abuse, and fewer psychiatric symptoms than Veterans without dogs.
Our emotional support dog Veteran outreach program is an annual program for WBWF. In 2022, board member Jeb Burton helped establish a program that pairs a trained emotional support dog with a Veteran. The program aims to provide the Veteran recipient with an animal companion that supports their healing journey.
In 2022, we were able to match Ace, black Labrador Retriever, with Air Force Veteran, Raina Stroman. On September 9th, 2023, we were able to match Liberty, Golden Retriever, with Army National Guard pilot Veteran, Timothy Storey.
Stay tuned for updates on our 2024 match!
