America's VetDogs

America’s VetDogs® began in 2003 as a project of the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind to consolidate and increase our outreach to veterans of all eras. In 2006, it became a separate 501(c)(3) corporation. VetDogs provides guide dogs for veterans who are blind; service dogs for those with other physical disabilities; physical and occupational therapy dogs to work with amputees in military and VA hospitals; and combat stress control dogs to be deployed in theater. All of our services are provided at no cost to veterans, and our funding comes from the generous contributions of individuals, corporations, foundations, businesses, and service and fraternal clubs. For a veteran with a serious limb injury, amputation, or traumatic brain injury, a service dog can provide stability support climbing up and down stairs or getting in and out of a chair, and can be trained to fetch and retrieve specific items, e.g., medication, a wallet, or a phone. For veterans with seizure disorder, dogs can be trained to alert for seizure response.