Atlantic Cares for K9s

For U.S. Marine Corps Veteran Kele, transitioning from military life to civilian life was a nightmare. He came back from Afghanistan and Japan with PTSD, anxiety and depression.Being matched with service dog Luca in the K9s for Warriors service program changed everything. 

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“K9s for Warriors, for me personally, has been a godsend,” he said in a statement. “It gives the veteran a sense of purpose again, knowing that this dog is counting on you, just as you are on them.” 

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Every day in the U.S., about 20 veterans take their own lives and more than 1,000 dogs are euthanized. Since its founding in 2011, the nonprofit K9s for Warriors has served more than 1,000 veterans and rescued more than 2,000 dogs. 

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“As a Veteran myself, I want to assist as many others as humanly possible,” CEO Daniel Bean wrote in the nonprofit’s 2024 annual report. “I have seen firsthand the healing power of Service Dogs for Veterans struggling to reintegrate into civilian life after service. I know the work K9s For Warriors does is needed.” 

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K9s for Warriors is the nation’s largest provider of trained service dogs to military veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury or military sexual trauma. The group aims to end veteran suicide by rescuing and training dogs to be paired as service dogs at no cost to veterans struggling with invisible wounds of war. They also operate a 24-hour veterans crisis phone line. 

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This critical work is why Atlantic Logistics chose the organization to receive this month’s donation through the Atlantic Cares program. 

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Veterans with honorable discharge and verified diagnoses are eligible to apply for the K9s for Warriors program. Each month, about 12 veterans visit the K9s for Warriors headquarters for a free three-week residential training program with their new service dog. During the program, each veteran learns how to use their service dog and builds the bond needed for success. 

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Most dogs are rescue dogs before they become service dogs. During their training, they learn commands such as “stand,” to place themselves between their veteran and others; “look,” for watching behind a veteran to help with hypervigilance; “lap,” where a service dog puts their arms over the veteran’s lap to provide deep compression therapy, and “under,” where a service dog goes under the veteran’s legs or chair to stay out of the way. 

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The therapy really works. In June 2024, a first-of-its-kind National Institutes of Health-funded clinical trial published in JAMA Network Open proved that veterans with service dogs had 66% lower odds of a PTSD diagnosis when compared to a wait-listed control group. Veterans with a service dog also experienced lower anxiety and depression levels. 

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K9 for Warriors depends on its volunteers and passionate individual and corporate donors to support its programming, and 80% of donations support operating and program costs. THe remaining 20% covers administration costs and growth. There are a variety of ways to give, from $20 individual donations to legacy giving, foundation grants and even an Amazon wishlist. 

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To learn more about the various ways of supporting K9s For Warriors, visit k9sforwarriors.org and click on the Ways to Support tab.  

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ABOUT ATLANTIC LOGISTICS

‍Atlantic Logistics provides expedited truckload and partial service on flatbeds, stepdecks, lowbeds, vans, and reefers throughout the United States and Canada. Moving over-dimensional/over-weight freight with specialized equipment, Atlantic Logistics is an approved Department of Defense and General Services Administration broker, qualify as a woman-owned business, and are members of the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), GrowFL (GrowFL), First Coast Manufacturers Association (FCMA), the Transportation Marketing & Sales Association (TMSA), Women in Trucking (WiT), Laredo Motor Carriers Association (LMCA) and the National Defense Transportation Association (NDTA).

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