Dr. Maggie O’Haire of the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine, in cooperation with K9s For Warriors, conducted the largest nationwide study comparing service dog partnerships to usual care alone

Ponte Vedra, FL (June 4, 2024) – The first National Institutes of Health-funded clinical trial of its kind links the pairing of service dogs with military Veterans to lowered PTSD severity, odds of PTSD diagnosis and other negative mental health symptoms. The study, released in time for PTSD Awareness Month in June, was also the largest national study to date comparing Veterans and service dog teams to usual care alone for PTSD-afflicted Veterans.  

Led by Dr. Maggie O’Haire from the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine in partnership with K9s For Warriors, the nation’s largest provider of trained service dogs to military Veterans suffering from invisible wounds of war, the study examined more than 150 military Veterans over three months through self-reported symptoms and expert clinician assessment. The study analyzed measurable PTSD symptoms, as well as psychosocial functioning (quality of life and social health). The results revealed:

• Veterans with service dogs had 66% lower odds of a PTSD diagnosis based on expert clinician assessment when compared to a wait-listed control group. 
• They also experienced lower anxiety and depression levels, which often co-occur with PTSD.
• They experienced improvements in most areas of emotional and social well-being.

“This research reinforces what we have been studying for almost a decade — that service dogs are linked to significant benefits for many Veterans suffering from PTSD and other invisible wounds of war,” said Dr. O’Haire, Associate Dean for Research and Professor at the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine, where she runs the OHAIRE Lab. “Service dogs are more than pets — they can be essential partners in helping Veterans readjust and thrive after they return from service.”

“Having paired more than 1,000 service dogs with Veterans, our work has clearly demonstrated that these dogs are lifesaving and life-transforming. These dogs have enabled our Warriors to better connect with family, friends and their community and to begin living the life they previously didn’t think was possible,” said Kevin Steele, Chief Program Officer at K9s For Warriors. “The results of this study further prove what we do here at K9s works and we continue to have the research to back up the success of our program. We hope this study and others led by the OHAIRE Lab will lead to greater funding and full integration of highly trained service dogs into health protocols for all Veterans in need.” 

The new study, which will be published in JAMA Network Open on June 4, is the first such study to utilize gold-standard, blinded clinician ratings of PTSD to measure outcomes. 

Most of the dogs at K9s For Warriors are rescues. K9s For Warriors trains them on average for six months, then pairs them at no cost with Veterans afflicted with the invisible wounds of war and who are at a great and immediate risk of suicide. It is estimated that nearly 20 Veterans die by suicide daily, and that more than one million Veterans suffer from PTSD, traumatic brain injury or military sexual trauma. K9s For Warriors has rescued more than 2,000 dogs and paired more than 1,000 Veterans with highly trained service dogs, saving lives at both ends of the leash.

Study Citations

Leighton, S. C., Rodriguez, K. E., Jensen, C. L., MacLean, E. L., Davis, L. W., Ashbeck, E. L., Bedrick, E. J., O’Haire, M. E. (2024). Service dogs for veterans and military members with post-traumatic stress disorder: a nonrandomized controlled trial. JAMA Network Open. 2024;7(6):e2414686. 

About K9s For Warriors

Determined to end Veteran suicide, K9s For Warriors is the nation’s largest provider of trained Service Dogs to military Veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury and/or military sexual trauma. With most dogs being rescues, this innovative program allows the K9/Warrior team to build an unwavering bond that facilitates their collective healing and recovery. This treatment method is backed by scientific research (from University of Arizona’s OHAIRE Lab) demonstrating Service Dogs’ ability to help mitigate their Veteran’s symptoms of PTSD while simultaneously restoring their confidence and independence. Founded in 2011 as a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, K9s For Warriors remains committed to bringing widespread awareness to Veterans’ mental health and contributing to policy-level reform.

The organization’s operation facilities include: K9s For Warriors National Headquarters (Ponte Vedra, Fla.) Davis Family Mega Kennel (Ponte Vedra, Fla.) Petco Love K9 Center (San Antonio, Texas) and Warrior Ranch (Just North of San Antonio, Texas).

Find more information at www.k9sforwarriors.org | Facebook | Instagram | X 

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Media Contact:

Carly Kramer, K9s For Warriors

ckramer@k9sforwarriors.org