When our veterans return home from overseas conflicts, many bear wounds both physical and mental that can require a lifetime of care. For these injured servicemembers, service animals can provide a critical lifeline. Properly trained dogs can improve lives in many ways, by doing things such as:
- Leading the blind or vision-impaired;
- Picking things up for someone who is unable to;
- Helping someone who falls to stand up again;
- Moving dangerous objects out of the way when a person suffers a seizure; and
- Reducing depression and warding off panic attacks.
That’s only a partial list, but more than any of these individual items, service dogs can help people regain their independence—something all too easy to take for granted if you’ve never lost it. And service dogs can also provide a big return on investment, by reducing the need for doctor’s visits and medication, and by allowing veterans to return to work.
Unfortunately, while the Veterans Administration recognizes the value of service dogs, it does not provide them to beneficiaries. And while these dogs can offer long-term savings, they cost thousands of dollars up front. That’s a steep price tag, but fortunately, there are charities working to give veterans the animals they need.
One of them is Friends of Veterans, a small operation based in Vermont that’s entirely volunteer-driven. They’ve made the news in recent days thanks to the tireless reporting of the Washington Post's David Fahrenthold, who recounted how Donald Trump’s stingy foundation held out the hope that it would make a donation to the group, only to later turn its back. While he was waiting to hear from the Trump Foundation, the charity’s president, Larry Daigle, told Fahrenthold, “Oh, my God, do you know how many homeless veterans I could help?”
We’re sure it’s a lot—far too many, because for even one vet to go without shelter is a shameful stain on our nation’s conscience. But the far darker stain belongs to Trump, who couldn’t even spare a dime for a group desperate for his aid.
That’s why Daily Kos has created a GoFundMe page for Friends of Veterans, because we want to help them help those in need. And in particular, we want to make sure that veterans whose lives would be bettered by service dogs can get them.
So far, as of mid-day Friday, we’ve already raised $5,465, but we can do much more, can’t we? I’ll bet we can double that—and show Donald Trump what generosity really looks like.
Please contribute whatever you can now.