Dogs are man’s best friend, but they can also be a vital lifeline, too. Clear Path for Veterans makes it easier for vets to get a service dog.

Having a dog as a companion is certainly comforting, and for many people when they come back home after serving our country, they return with traumas.

Clear Path for Veterans’ canine program trains dogs to become service dogs. They got through an 18 month training program beginning at eight weeks old. 

The puppies live with a foster family through their training and socialization classes. They are bred and trained from the start to be able to handle any situation. Once the training program is over, the dog graduates and is placed with a veteran to act as a service dog.

“My dad’s an Army veteran so this is something I think he would benefit from, just having a dog in your life is shown to make you happier make you healthier,” said Casey Eberhardt, puppy development coordinator.

All of the costs necessary to complete the program are taken care of by Clear Path. So when it's time for the dog to graduate and the veteran to adopt the service dog, there is no cost to the veteran.

The canine program has been training and placing dogs with veterans for more than a decade.