How Can You Help Give a New Leash on Life to American Military Heroes & Shelter Dogs?

How Can You Help Give a New Leash on Life to American Military Heroes & Shelter Dogs? Read On!

Brandy Arnold 04/16/2015

Eight thousand veterans commit suicide every year in America. That’s 22 of our military heroes every single day, or one every 65 minutes. In fact, nearly one out of every five suicides committed nationally is a veteran. Since 9/11 alone, upwards of 500,000 servicemen and women are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or traumatic brain injury as a direct result of their heroic service to our country.
It’s a sobering statistic that simply cannot be ignored. But there IS a solution – service dogs.
Service dogs provide something to our veterans that traditional therapies and medicines have thus far been unsuccessful in providing. Whether it’s unconditional love and companionship, lowered blood pressure, increased self-esteem, a sense of peace and calm, even a reason to get up and moving every day, or any number of skills these dogs are specially trained to perform – waking their handler from a nightmare, providing balance, picking up objects, or alerting to an impending panic attack, service dogs are vital in helping veterans returning to America with the invisible wounds of war to transition back into civilian life.
K9s for Warriors is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing service dogs to our military men and women suffering from PTSD and traumatic brain injury as a result of injuries sustained during service after 9/11. The dogs used in their program are all former rescue or shelter dogs from across the country that are carefully selected and professionally trained for several months before being matched with post-war veterans with whom they live, learn, and bond for three weeks. Not only do the dogs care for their warriors, but the warriors must also care for their dogs – and that includes providing food, shelter, veterinary care, and year-round flea and tick prevention.
has partnered with K9s for Warriors in a major way to give our war heroes a new leash on life. This partnership, now in it’s second year, allows dog parents like us to support Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans and shelter dogs, while at the same time safely protecting our own furriest family members against fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes.
Between now and May 31, when dog parents purchase K9 Advantix II, Bayer will donate $1 per package, up to $150,000, to K9s for Warriors, who then selects, trains, and pairs PTSD service dogs with post 9/11 warriors at absolutely no cost to the veteran.
“The partnership between Bayer and K9s For Warriors demonstrates and honors the unbreakable bond between these warriors and their service dogs,” said Ian Spinks, president and general manager, Bayer HealthCare LLC Animal Health, North America. “K9 Advantix® II embodies K9s For Warriors’ mission to ensure that these dogs are given the routine and proper care they need to support their warriors. That’s why we’re urging our fellow dog lovers across America to help us help these military heroes get their families, their jobs and ultimately their lives back. It’s simple: you buy K9 Advantix® II, Bayer will donate.”
As part of this partnership, Bayer will also support the training and adoption of 10 dogs comprising the Bayer K9 Advantix II Dog Team. Their first team dog is Arleigh, an affectionate and beautiful Lab-mix found at a shelter in Pennsylvania, who’s already been trained and paired with a warrior! Additionally, Bayer will donate K9 Advantix II to the veteran graduates of the K9s for Warriors program to help protect their new “battle buddies” from fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes.
So, how can YOU help support our nation’s heroes and shelter dogs? It’s easy:

• Between now and May 31, 2015, buy K9 Advantix II and Bayer will donate $1 per package to K9’s for Warriors.
• Visit www.MyK9Hero.com to watch warrior-dog teams in action, learn about the K9 Advantix II Dog Team, and get regular updates on how your support is helping U.S. veterans.
• And, follow @Bayer4AnimalsUS and @K9sforwarriors on Twitter! Help spread the word about this amazing campaign by sharing the story of why your own dog is your hero using the hashtag #BayerCares4K9s.

“We’re losing 8,000 of America’s military heroes each year due to suicide, which is heartbreaking and unacceptable,” said Shari Duval, president, K9s For Warriors. “K9s For Warriors is aimed at empowering warriors to return to civilian life with dignity and independence. We love Bayer’s passion for our mission, our warriors and our dogs, and we urge dog owners to buy the flea and tick preventive we use, K9 Advantix® II, during the special promotion period March 5-May 31, 2015.”
You CAN make a difference.