Bruce and Ozzy

After struggling with severe PTSD, I started searching for a dog because I knew that I had to change what I was doing as a person because the path I was going down was very dark and would not have a good outcome. In this search I found my dog Ozzy from a person who had adopted him from the shelter but he was making that persons PTSD worse because of his energy. His former owner told me about Vets to Vets United Inc. and Dr. Terry Morris and gave me her number telling me I had to call because she could really help. 

I called Dr. Morris the very next business day which happened to be a Monday and of course I got to her voice mail as she is always busy helping veterans. She returned my call the next day and talked with me about the program and told me she would love to have me but there was a waitlist. Through a misunderstanding that I had about what she was saying I drove to the training location with Ozzy the very next training class that she had. Ozzy is an Australian Shepard/Pitt mix and very energetic so of course when we first attended class he had no manners he came in barking announcing that he was there and it was time to get the party started and generally acting very unruly. This did not deter Dr. Morris even though she did tell me later that she was wanting to know who told us about the program because she had some words for them. 

Ozzy and I worked together for over two years and in that time we both

have developed and have made ourselves into something better. Now he is very calm and loves to work and would have it no other way than to be a service dog. I have been able to start going out and meeting new people, helping more people and even change jobs so now Ozzy and I both go to Wake Technical Community College and teach full time. During this time, we have had to fight our battles inside me still but my anger levels have also decreased and I am holding myself accountable for my actions. Dr. Morris doesn’t believe in just treating the symptoms of the veterans but works with the entire family to try and help resolve the problems causing the symptoms.

We would not have been able to achieve this success if not for the help of Dr. Morris and Vets to Vets United Inc. They paid for vet bills when Ozzy needed to go to the vet and I was not financially able to. They have provided us with free training and shown me how to train Ozzy myself and made it where we didn’t have to spend between fifteen and twenty thousand dollars for a service dog due to the Veterans Affairs not recognizing the power of a service dog to help veterans suffering with PTSD and other ailments. I am forever grateful to Vets to Vets United Inc. and will continue to support them even though Ozzy and I have graduated. We will do this by continued attendance and taking over some of the training duties so that we can increase the number of veterans that we can have enrolled in the training program at one time.