Wounded servicemembers and those who return from their tour of combat duty often have a hard time handling the trauma and stress they carry with them. The American Red Cross’s Pets and Warrior Program (PAWS) is a way to help them, with great results.

Modeled after the facility dog program at Walter Read National Military Medical Center, Dr. Mitzy DeAguilera, the Texas Gulf Coast Region’s PAWS Ambassador, started out at the Red Cross in her home country of Naples as a subject matter expert in animal visitations. Her doctorate in veterinary medicine gave her a solid foundation in understanding the effect dogs had on injured and traumatized people. “I’m a military spouse,” she explains. “So I know the struggles.”

She knows what therapy animals can do. A person can interact with one of the dogs and it can make a huge difference. “They might have a huge load on their shoulders and seeing the dog makes them smile,” she says. She recalls going to hospitals, where wounded servicemembers benefitted greatly from their time with a dog. “One patient was waiting for a dog to come in before he’d get his (medical) tests done.”

Despite providing comfort and a friendly smile, PAWS dogs are working dogs. “They work really hard, the poor things. It is a lot of treats, a lot of (petting),” she says, going on to mention at some places they’ll only be there for an hour at a time, whereas others they might be there longer.

Meet Bentley, the current Texas Gulf Coast PAWS volunteer. Bentley is an English bulldog that started out rough. “His family couldn’t handle his temper,” she said. “Bulldogs are stubborn and needy.” Her son took on the bulk of the work rehabilitating Bentley, taking him on walks and getting him used to being around people. Bentley mastered sitting politely, accepting a friendly stranger, being well-groomed, obeying sit/down/stay commands, and being able to deal with chaotic or noisy situations calmly. She says proudly, “you know how in the hospital there are various alarms going off? He doesn’t react to them.”

“They [Walter Reed] have 40 dogs,” she mentions. “We have four new candidates for future dogs.” The candidates will be able volunteer once they pass PAWS volunteer requirements. A dog meets most of the requirements when they earn their Good Canine Citizen certificate.

Dr. DeAguilera’s work isn’t finished. She aims to bring in as many dogs as she can to the Texas Gulf Coast Region and to other nearby chapters. She hopes to partner with other organizations that might want to be involved.

Consider volunteering to support the military by searching for “SAF” on Volunteer Connection or going to redcross.org.

Story By: Bryan Hanks