Wisconsin vet trains shelter dogs for wounded veterans

A veteran who lost part of both of his legs when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded while he was on patrol in Afghanistan has benefited from a non-profit out of Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin that connects trained dogs with veterans who may suffer from traumatic brain injury or post traumatic stress disorder.

An article by People Pets says that U.S. Marine Chris Van Etten went through the traumatic event of losing part of both of his legs in 2012.

“His injuries were significant and he was lucky to have survived. But Van Etten’s recovery was made easier through the efforts of civilian dog trainer, Torre Willadsen, whom he met while serving in the war-torn nation,” the article reads. “Willadsen took it upon himself to ensure the wounded veteran was reunited with his yellow lab Harley, an Improvised Explosive Device Detection Dog who had been by his side during many harrowing missions.”

Van Etten formed a life-long bond with the now-7-year-old yellow Lab and credits the dog for improving both the mental and physical parts of his recovery.

“And he says veterans who are struggling with rehabilitation as well as post-traumatic stress disorder could be helped tremendously with a program created by Willadsen called  Dog2DogTags,” the article reads. “One of the biggest questions I get asked (by vets) about Harley is where they can go to get a dog. Dogs2DogTags is able to provide a form of therapy that veterans will not be scared to admit they want or need,” Van Etten told PEOPLE. “A big reason why vets don’t get the help they deserve is they are too proud to admit they need that help in the first place. But who doesn’t want a dog to help you get through the tougher times in your life? I think these dogs could really do some good and potentially save some lives.”

In 2013, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs released a study that covered suicides from 1999 to 2010, which showed that roughly 22 veterans were committing suicide per day, or one every 65 minutes. Some sources suggest that this rate may be undercounting suicides.

“Through his non-profit, Willadsen wants to do his part to reduce this number by not only reuniting military dogs with their retired handlers, but also by adopting dogs from the Humane Society, as well as shelters, where they might otherwise be euthanized, and placing them with vets who need a buddy who can help with postwar living and offer unconditional devotion,” PEOPLE reports. “His model is efficient — he trains the dogs for free — and there isn’t a long wait for veterans who need a companion immediately. Most importantly, there is no bureaucratic hold up as his operation is run by veterans who were previously deployed, which helps Dog2DogTags make the return to civilian life a smoother transition.”