Did you know that over 40 million Americans are living with a mental disorder?
Did you know that every day, over 100 people commit suicide in the U.S. alone?
Did you know that every day, over 3,000 unwanted dogs are killed in American shelters?
Healing Companions is working hard every day to make a change in the lives of dogs and humans alike by training rescue dogs and shelter dogs to become Psychiatric Service Dogs (PSDs) and matching them with people in need.
Imagine being so paralyzed by doubt, social anxiety, or memories of past traumas that you couldn’t leave the house or hold down a job. “My dogs have given me a life,” says Tracy of her services dogs, Finola and Baron. “They’ve given me the ability to go out… to cry, to laugh, feel emotions again.”
So many people have experienced trauma in their lives, as have so many rescue dogs and shelter dogs. Many times, they are forced to face the aftermath of that trauma alone. However, with the proper dog training, these people and dogs can come together to help each other in the healing process. This becomes a therapeutic experience for the animal and the human. Talk about man’s best friend!
And what about the story of Mindy and Ninna. Mindy was hospitalized “for a couple of days because [she] was suicidal.” She says that when she got out she knew she “was probably going to get a dog and that was totally keeping [her] going.” She says that Ninna is, “in some ways…like my shield from the world and in others she helps me to be in the world. She’s helps me to be grounded and she’s helped me to want to live.”
The positive impact these dogs have in the lives of their humans is beyond words. They help them to cope with their trauma and begin to heal, but it can be quite costly to train these dogs. Unlike mobility dogs and guide dogs, psychiatric service dogs (PSDs) require highly tailored training to help with the specific conditions of their human. To be able to continue changing dog and human lives, we are in constant need of funding. Please consider donating to our cause. You can make a difference in the lives or humans and dogs, a win-win.
Healing Companions is rated by GuideStar as a Platinum non-profit.
Watch our video: About Healing Companions
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