The wounds of war are not always physical. Battle anxiety leaves many soldiers emotionally scarred with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can lead to lifelong disability if inadequately treated.

Coming to the rescue is the Paws for Purple Hearts program, with dogs trained to assist veterans with emotional and physical disabilities.

The concept of service dogs, trained to assist people with mobility or other impairments, originated in 1975 at the Bergin University of Canine Studies, Santa Rosa, Calif. The concept has now been expanded for an innovative program designed for wounded veterans.

In January the first group of dogs selected from the pilot program of Paws for Purple Hearts will report for duty at the Walter Reed Warrior Transition Unit in Washington, D.C. Veterans suffering from PTSD will train these dogs to become companions for other soldiers returning home with physical disabilities.

"The experience of losing a close friend and feeling helpless leaves a scar,'' said Rick Yount, director of Paws for Purple Hearts. "It's very important to address it and come to some type of understanding of what they could and couldn't do in the situation.''

Unconditional love

In the first part of the program, the unconditional love of the golden retrievers and Labrador retrievers in the program is part of a trauma-recovery team for incoming veterans suffering from PTSD.

Emotional affection is needed to praise the service dog, an empathic quality needed for veterans to recover. "Dogs won't let you isolate,'' Yount said, adding that they serve as grounding and help the veterans develop patience.

During a three-month training period, the service dog is taught vital skills to aid physically disabled soldiers, including the ability to retrieve items, turn on lights, open and close doors, and push wheelchairs. Once trained, the service dogs can accomplish many tasks typically performed by family members and attendants.

Second phase

In the second part of the program, the service dog moves to the next level, leaving the PTSD-afflicted trainer for a new human companion. The difficulty of saying goodbye to a new friend often brings up feelings of lost comrades, but with a significant difference: A sacrifice is being made for the good of another comrade returning from combat.

"Maybe they couldn't help their friend hit by an IED (improvised explosive device), but helping another veteran helps them to deal with the loss,'' Yount said.

Combat veterans usually have a difficult time expressing feelings about severe wartime trauma, and initial results are positive. "The vet can be more relaxed and less hypervigilant,'' he said.

Call to action

The call for the Veterans Administration to provide service dogs to disabled vets was signed into law in 2002 but has yet to be fully implemented. Paws for Purple Hearts started in July of 2008 and already, Yount is flooded with calls and e-mails. There is already a great need to expand the program.

Yount entered the field of animal assistance 13 years ago after spending 7 years in the social work field. "This is some of the most important social work I have ever done,'' he said.

Reviewed by Amy I. Attas, V.M.D.

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