JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Since 2018, K9s for Warriors has paired more than 100 trained service dogs with veterans. The organization started its annual telethon Friday. Those wanting to help K9s for Warriors with its mission can click here.
K9s for Warriors Fast Facts
*Provided by K9s for Warriors
- The organization was founded in 2011 by Shari Duval, a mother who saw how a Service Dog benefitted her son who had returned from civilian duty in Iraq
- · It’s national headquarters is right here in Northeast Florida in Ponte Vedra
- · Last year, with the help of funds raised during Veterans Day telethon, K9s For Warriors was able to open its Davis Family Mega Kennel to train more dogs to be paired with veterans in need
- · To date, K9s For Warriors has paired more than 900 veterans with highly trained service dogs since 2011. In early 2024, we will graduate our 1,000th Warrior!
- · It costs between $25,000 to $40,000 to train a service dog for a veteran with PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and/or military sexual trauma, although K9s provides the service dog at NO cost to the veteran
- · Each month roughly a dozen veterans arrive at K9s For Warriors campus in Ponte Vedra and spends three weeks bonding and learning how to use their new service dog
- · Sadly, roughly 20 veterans die by suicide each day, and K9s For Warriors is determined to change that through the use of service dogs
- · A majority of the dogs in the program are rescues allowing the K9/Warrior team to build an unwavering bond that facilitates their collective healing and recovery
- · And for the dogs that aren’t quite cut out for service work, are either adopted out to loving families or trained to be therapy dogs for first responders and law enforcement – the dogs never go back to shelters
