Operation Delta Dog

Operation Delta Dog has a dual-purpose mission: to rescue and train shelter dogs at-risk of euthanasia as service companions for veterans at-risk of suicide–potentially saving the lives of both veterans and their companions. We serve veterans struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and Military Sexual Trauma (MST), providing service companions, training, and wrap-around services, at no cost. Dogs get the homes they need, and veterans get the help they deserve. We’re driven by an emerging veteran mental health crisis. Veterans are 50% more likely to take their own lives than their peers who have not served. These men and women put service above self, only to face depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, flashbacks, nightmares and hypervigilance—setting the stage for high suicide risk. We serve a chronically underserved and undertreated population. The suicide rate of New Hampshire veterans is on the rise—more than 40 each year—with an estimated 80,000 Massachusetts veterans also fighting these hidden battles. According to the Veterans Administration, 120,000 veterans in our service radius qualify for our programs. Veterans receive support during training, throughout the life of their dog, and beyond. We’re committed to a holistic, long term approach to ensure the best chance for a stable civilian life. In addition to a specially trained service dog, intensive training, and financial assistance, veterans receive individualized attention from our team, friendship and solidarity from fellow veterans trained as mentors, and inclusion in a veteran-centered support network.