Minnesota nonprofit sees a growing need for service dogs for veterans struggling with PTSD
BLAINE, Minn. — On this Veteran's Day weekend, local nonprofit Helping Paws says it's seeing a growing need for their invaluable support for our service members who struggle with PTSD after they come home.
"It will change your life forever," said Kurtis Hollar, of Blaine.
Hollar is an Iraq War veteran. Malkin, his service dog, came into his life five years ago as he continued to struggle with PTSD and anger management after coming home.
"This is in Kuwait," he said, pointing of a picture of himself during his time of service. "I think this is a harder picture to look at right here. Two of the guys in the photo didn't come home and so, yeah, it's kind of hard."
Malkin was trained by the local organization Helping Paws. He's there to provide comfort in what can be stressful situations for Kurtis, like going out to run errands.
"That anxious feeling of being in crowded places and you want to get out," he said.
It's that anxious feeling he felt on a trip to Fleet Farm for some dog food.
"But it's nice to know that Malkin is here and he's with me," he said.
Malkin is there to help navigate the aisles, and any potential crowds, to make space between his owner and others if he needs it. It sounds simple among the many things Malkin is trained to do — but can make a huge difference in Kurtis' long road to recovery.
Kurtis and Malkin are speaking at a Veterans Day celebration at Motorwerks BMW in Bloomington. The event is open to the public and runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Visitors will get the chance to meet service dogs, donate and connect with veterans while enjoying food trucks, games for kids and more.
It can take two to three years to be paired with a service dog, and Helping Paws is always in need of donations and volunteers to be service dog trainers. If you would like to help or if you think you could benefit from a service dog, more information is available on the Helping Paws website.
