Pets are not "about" a dog collar, dog clothes, pet harnesses, cat carriers, or pet beds. They are not about "things," they are about unconditional love. Any story about the healing powers of animals should be moving to all Pet Parents. I have been very moved by the story of David Sharpe. He returned from the war suffering from Post Tramatic Shock Disorder, probably one of the most misunderstood ailments affecting veterans. PTSD, as it is known, is the result of mental stress during war. No one returns from traumatic situations, like war, unscathed mentally. Many can pick up old lives, and deal with stress as they will, but for some, the trauma doesn't end.
David Sharpe returned angry. He tells of good friends who tried to get him back in to the swing of things, but since he carried so much anger that he picked fights, had to distance themselves from him. In his anger and hurt, he went to a pound to rescue an dog, and decided to get a "mean" one, a pit bull. What happened next speaks to the power of animals. In caring for his dog, his pain started to lessen. When he could not talk to family, friends, or therapists, he could talk to Cheyenne. He reported Cheyenne watching him rage and hit things, and do that wonderful thing that dogs do when confused, she moved her head from side to side.
He cried, as he reports, bitterly. The healing had begun. David did not stop there. As he healed, he looked to heal others. He founded his own nonprofit to help other returning veterans with PTSD to be matched with dogs so that they could heal, too. Pets2vets or http://www.p2v.org/ matches veterans with rescue dogs. According to the website, "There are 18 veterans that commit suicide every day and one animal is put down every second." Visit the website. It is amazing to see the stories.
I am enormously touched by the story and the work that is being done. Pets can make us more human, and our humanity can save them.
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