BLACKLION Competitors

Determined to end Veteran suicide, K9s For Warriors is the leading nonprofit organization that provides trained Service Dogs to military Veterans nationwide suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and/or military sexual trauma — at no financial cost to the Veteran. Backed by groundbreaking scientific research from the University of Arizona’s OHAIRE Lab, the program demonstrates how Service Dogs can help mitigate symptoms of PTSD while simultaneously restoring confidence and independence. Founded in 2011 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, K9s For Warriors is committed to saving lives at both ends of the leash by primarily rescuing dogs and pairing them with Veterans in need. The organization is also dedicated to raising awareness about Veterans’ mental health and driving policy-level reform. To date, K9s has paired more than 1,000 Veterans with life-changing Service Dogs and rescued more than 2,000 dogs.

paws4people® foundation is a Wilmington, North Carolina based non-profit whose mission is educating and empowering people to utilize Assistance Dogs to transform their lives.

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.