The Story of Us
Twenty-two veterans commit suicide every day, and thousands of dogs in shelters are euthanized every day. Canines With a Cause (CWAC) began out of the overwhelming need to rescue dogs from shelters, and to rescue Veterans suffering with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and other debilitating side effects of war that can lead to depression, anxiety, and suicide.
It all began when our Director Cathy King, who’s worked in the animal rescue field for over 20 years saw the need to educate the public on the fact that so many wonderful companion animals die in shelters every year. At the same time she’d also been inundated with people telling her how their rescued animal had helped them deal with issues such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Cathy put two and two together and Canines With a Cause was born 3 years ago. Since it’s inception CWAC has saved over 300 dogs and helped many veterans lead a more happy and fulfilling life with the aid of their service dog. Research has shown that animal therapy with the aid of dogs, is a highly effective way for post 9/11 Veterans to successfully deal and cope with the effects of PTSD and combat related traumas.
CWAC is a non-profit, we don’t charge any fees to the veterans we serve and we work from donations only, with a small staff and the aid of an amazing amount of volunteers and fosters. We rescue most of our dogs from high-kill shelters, and we then move them on to one of our 3 programs, “Pawsitive Partnerships,” “Pawsitive Healing,” and “Diamonds in the Ruff.” In our Pawsitive Partnerships program, we unite shelter dogs with Veterans and help them train their dog to be their own personal service dog. In our Pawsitive Healing Program we place dogs in the Utah State Prison with female inmates. The female inmates have been trained, and continue training with our staff to ensure proper care. The dogs live with the inmates in their cells and they spend 24 hours a day together, helping them to become a wonderful service dogs for a deserving Veteran. If a dog we rescue doesn’t turn out to have the skills necessary to become a service dog, they will then move onto our Diamonds in the Ruff program. These dogs are available for adoption to the public and make wonderful, loving family members.
More and more people are becoming aware of the staggering rates of Veteran suicide, that amazing animals are dying in shelters daily, and that CWAC can do something about both of these problems. CWAC is committed to both Veterans and dogs. We know that the bond created between the two is life changing, and life saving for both. We are proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish in the last three years, and we’re excited and motivated to grow in this field, saving more dogs and more Vets.
Please visit our website to learn more, Canines With a Cause
