K9s For Warriors
December 29, 2020
K9s For Warriors, whose mission is to serve disabled veterans, held an unveiling ceremony Monday revealing the new name of the organization’s main campus.
In a ceremony, a new sign was revealed reading “The Shari Duval K9s For Warriors National Headquarters” replacing the old campus name “Camp K9” as the official title of the organization’s main campus.
Staff, volunteers, and dogs gathered out front to celebrate Shari Duval, the woman they call Mom.
“Our team mission is the warriors,” Duval said. “Simple. Pure. Nothing else.”
Shari Duval founded K9s For Warriors in 2011 to provide service canines to veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury and/or military sexual trauma as a result of post-9/11 service. Shari was inspired to start the organization by her son, Brett Simon, a contractor who returned from two tours in Iraq suffering from severe post-traumatic stress.
“Without her inspiration and commitment none of this would have been possible,” said Rory Diamond, CEO of K9s For Warriors. “Her commitment to our veteran population paired with her understanding of the healing power of the companionship and love of a dog laid the foundation of what is now the nation’s largest provider of Service Dogs for disabled American veterans…”
The new sign reading “The Shari Duval K9s For Warriors National Headquarters” will greet all visitors as they arrive at the K9s For Warriors main campus.
Most Recent News
Former Victoria man’s diabetic alert dog helps him get back to life
When Luke Hengen’s diabetes worsened in his early twenties, it stripped him of the outdoor activities where the country kid felt at home. Countless wilderness adventures and years of hard-fought football games took a toll on his body, to the point where he could no longer sense when his blood sugar was too high or […]
Students Get Therapy Dog
When middle school students return to class on Jan. 11, they’ll find a new face at the door: Daisy. Daisy is a therapy dog and the personal pet of Rob Kreger, principal of the Rock L. Butler Middle School. The five-year-old golden retriever is not a school pet or mascot, but rather a working dog […]
Therapy Dogtor
Last March, Caroline Benzel, a third-year medical student, began to notice the stress and discomfort her nurse friends were feeling from the pressures of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. “[Personal protective equipment] can be really rough on the skin,” Benzel, 31, tells PEOPLE. Benzel and her 3-year-old Rottweiler, Loki (who’s also a therapy dog) hatched a […]
Therapy Dog Pups
When Stanley the miniature fox terrier’s owner passed away, the little dog started a ‘paw-some’ new role – bringing puppy love to some of the Gold Coast’s oldest residents. After Carinity Cedarbrook Diversional Therapist Julianne Staff adopted Stanley, he began visiting the aged care community at Mudgeeraba as a therapy dog. Therapy dogs help to […]
Puppy Cams
A nonprofit is providing an unusual form of therapy for those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic – puppy cams! “You spend five minutes with a puppy and try not to smile,” said registered nurse Robin Lingg Lagrone. Lingg Lagrone says watching little furballs wag their tails and prance on their paws helps […]
Pet Committee
When Moore County’s school doors were abruptly closed earlier in 2020, two- and four-legged volunteers from the Moore County Citizens’ Pet Responsibility Committee (PRC) were in their 12th year of presenting a six-session Pet Responsibility Education Program for fourth-graders. The PRC quickly shifted gears and placed its program materials online as part of a home […]