Veterans, firefighters, law enforcement, and emergency medical professionals face mental and emotional demands that not many others experience. Their roles require them to manage life-threatening emergencies, process traumatic events, and maintain composure under immense pressure. Over time, these stressors can accumulate and significantly affect mental well-being.
One method of mitigating these issues is the use of medical service dogs. These highly trained animals are valuable partners in helping veterans and first responders manage PTSD, a physiological issue caused by damage to the hippocampus and neurotransmitters. To date, there is no medical treatment program or technology that can cure PTSD, making service dogs an amazing and effective tool to help prevent and manage episodes.
This blog examines the role of service dogs and how they can assist veterans and first responders in managing the challenges that come with PTSD.
Occupational Stress Among Veterans and First Responders
First responders and veterans often face repeated exposure to distressing and high-intensity events. Emergency calls, combat experiences, and critical incidents are not isolated occurrences but frequent realities for many individuals in these roles. Long-term exposure to such experiences may contribute to mental health conditions such as:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Anxiety and panic disorders
- Clinical depression
- Insomnia and chronic sleep disturbances
- Emotional fatigue and burnout
According to a report released by the Defense Health Agency, the diagnoses of mental health disorders among active-duty service members have increased by nearly 40% over the last five years. The purpose of this report was to examine the mental health diagnoses among active-duty troops between 2019 and 2023. This examination found that anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, were the reason for the significant increase in diagnoses. More specifically, diagnoses of these disorders had nearly doubled during that period.
Based on data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), approximately 30% of first responders develop behavioral health conditions, including PTSD and depression.
Despite increasing awareness, stigma can still be a barrier to seeking mental health support. As a result, there is a growing demand for care options that are both effective and empowering. Service dogs serve as one of those options, offering ways to mitigate the challenges of mental health conditions and enhance quality of their life without relying solely on medication or clinical interventions.
How Service Dogs Support Mental Health
A service dog is not a general comfort animal, emotional support animal, or therapy dog. These dogs are trained to perform specific tasks that directly assist individuals who are living with physical, neurological, or physiological disabilities. Their support is functional, proactive, and tailored to each recipient’s unique needs.
In many respects,service dogs can be viewed as medical devices with a heartbeat. Much like a prosthetic limb or glucose monitor, a service dog is a tool that enhances day-to-day functioning. The difference is that this tool is also capable of perceiving emotional cues, adapting in real-time, and forming a strong working relationship with its recipient.
Our medical service dogs are trained using scent samples from the recipient. We teach them to pick up the scent of changing blood chemistry, this ensures they know when certain levels are out of normal range and when to go into action.
While some dogs can pick up on these changes naturally, dogs have this capability because of their highly sophisticated olfactory system that tells them something has changed. We teach them to hit on these specific scents whether it is a change in cortisol or oxytocin which bring on PTSD episodes, or diabetic changes, impending seizures, etc.
For those navigating occupational trauma or mental health conditions, service dogs can assist by performing tasks such as:
- Interrupting episodes of panic, anxiety, or dissociation
- Waking recipients from recurring nightmares or night terrors
- Alerting the recipient to elevated stress levels before symptoms intensify
These interventions help individuals remain grounded, regain emotional control, and move through the day with increased confidence. A service dog being present can also reduce feelings of isolation and offer consistency in situations that might otherwise feel unpredictable or overwhelming to the recipient.
Can Service Dogs Play a Role in EMS or Fire Stations?
No, service dogs are not trained to work for groups of people. At Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, we train individual service dog teams, where the service dog is trained for and only works for their recipient. Service dogs do not work for multiple people, in environments like a fire station, because they are specifically trained to only meet the needs of their recipient.
However, therapy dogs may have a presence in firehouses and EMS stations to offer support to the crews through the difficulties of their daily duties. In the firehouse or EMS station, an emotional support dog may assist the crews by:
- Providing emotional support during post-call debriefings
- Offer comfort and focus during periods between high-intensity calls.
- Help with reducing anxiety through playing or other distraction from particularly difficult or traumatic incidents.
- Encourage a workplace culture of mental health awareness and support among coworkers.
Therapy dogs can also positively affect morale and teamwork in the workplace. Their presence helps reduce mental health stigma, encouraging more open conversations about the challenges of work as a first responder and the importance of wellness.
It is critical to remember that therapy dogs are not service dogs, and they do not have rights under the American Disabilities Act. This means that therapy dogs can only go to places and events where dogs are permitted.
How Service Dogs Assist Recipients with PTSD
Service dogs are trained to meet the needs of their recipient. This specialized training focuses on mitigating the challenges that may arise in the recipient’s daily life whether they are a veterans, first responder, or civilian living with PTSD.
Examples of such tasks include:
- Alerting recipients to the early onset of flashbacks, dissociation, or shutdowns
- Offering grounding touch or pressure during therapy sessions or incident reporting
- Maintaining composure in chaotic environments to help recipients stay centered
For many recipients, the reliability of a trained service dog helps build resilience over time and enhances the effectiveness of traditional therapeutic approaches.
FAQs About Our Medical Service Dogs
Service dogs are a valuable and effective tool in assisting firefighters, police officers, EMS, veterans, and civilians in mitigating the challenges of their disability in their daily life, leading to more independence and confidence. Here are a few FAQs about our medical service dogs:
How Much Will a Service Dog Cost Me?
With the exception of a $70 application fee, Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs are provided to the recipient at NO COST.
Service dogs undergo extensive, individualized training that requires time and a significant financial investment of approximately $30,000, covering their training and a lifetime of support for the team. Our service dogs are funded through generous individual donations, fundraising, and grants to continue our mission at no cost to you.
Can I Bring My Service Dog to Work?
Your service dog cannot be denied from a place of employment, but you will want to request special accommodation that must be approved by your employer as required by law. Asking for special accommodation means that you’re requesting to bring dog work with you because he is your medical equipment for your medical condition.
Building a Healthier Future for Veterans, First Responders, and Civilians
Service dogs are transforming the lives of firefighters, veterans, police officers, and EMTs by helping them manage the emotional demands of high-stress professions. Their ability to detect symptoms early, respond with trained interventions, and provide real-time support makes them powerful tools for overall well-being.
Medical service dogs are essential partners in navigating the mental health challenges that come with protecting others. To learn more about service dog programs or how to support access for those in need, visit Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs today!
Mrs. Borden’s expertise and accomplishments are acknowledged by numerous national awards from various industries and agencies including the 2018 Corporate Pet Industry Woman of the Year and multiple awards for her organization’s work in mental health and suicide prevention.
She is frequently requested as a Keynote Speaker, and as an Industry Consultant to teach service dog laws to judicial systems, attorneys, and businesses, and to assist in service dog bills in multiple states that were passed into law. In 2020, she started an Institute for Higher Learning and the Borden Veterinary Hospital. Additionally, she has written and teaches college-accredited/VA-approved apprenticeship courses on dog training and service dog training.
