Team Stories
Rescue Looks
Different
For Everyone
Operation Freedom Paws is a nonprofit organization doing life-saving work. For the veterans, first responders, non-veterans, and children we serve, the human-canine relationships built here are nothing short of a lifeline. Our clients and dogs share a bond like no other, and this relationship opens the door to a better, brighter future. APPLY NOW
Alex Gries & Sherman – Stories About Veterans & Service Dogs
https://vimeo.com/145213481 U.S. Army veteran Alex Gries served in Iraq. Struggling with the aftermath of combat, Alex partnered and trains with her beloved service dog Sherman at Operation Freedom Paws. Alex is finding her "new normal" with Sherman as he is by her...
Carlos Vera & Ruthie – Stories About Veterans & Service Dogs
https://vimeo.com/163482203 At age 18, veteran Carlos Vera enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served for six years. In 1992, he deployed to Somalia, Operation Restore Hope, and was among the first troops to arrive to that conflict. Poorly equipped and on call 24/7,...
Todd & His Service Dog Ivy “I Am Not Broken”
I am now six months free of my self-made hell and have been given an opportunity to look back, reflect, and share with others about the time leading up to my nightmare. It’s interesting that on the day I finally decided to put my experience down on paper, I received a...
Jeri & Curly Everything I Need to Thrive
Our client Jeri is an Army veteran who experiences post-traumatic stress related to her military service. Here she shares in her own words her healing journey with us. Prior to Operation Freedom Paws, I had tried various therapeutic modalities with some success;...
Julie Kirk & Mal – Stories About Veterans & Service Dogs
Vietnam-era veteran Julie Kirk Vietnam-era veteran Julie Kirk joined the Army at age 18. She trained as a medic and worked on the surgical floor of the hospital at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri taking care of injured soldiers returning from the Vietnam War. Several...
Chris Dolan & April – Stories About Veterans & Service Dogs
https://vimeo.com/159424004 U.S. Army veteran Chris Dolan was deployed three times, once to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan. After coming home, it was only after a hospitalization that the Army finally diagnosed him with PTSD. Eventually, he learned about service dogs...