Rescued Australian dogs help war veterans fight depression

Abandoned dogs rescued from death row in Australian animal shelters are giving their depressed war- veteran new owners therapy, it was reported on Friday.

A national scheme called The Dog Squad sees ex-soldiers suffering post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) adopt the dogs and then guide them through an intensive weekly training program, especially aimed at helping the veterans.

Not only do the dogs get new homes and owners, but the ex- soldiers, among 15 percent of Australian war veterans who suffer PTSD, get a dedicated and helpful friend and thus get a new purpose in life.

Former soldiers told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that the dogs, of which there are now 300, are trained to detect when they are suffering nightmares about their experiences in war.

The dogs leap onto the bed and wake them from these "night terrors," and some are also trained to turn on the bedroom lights.

They also block their owners walking onto roads if they fall into an anxiety daze, and even fetch cans of beer from refrigerators.

Best of all, they are the ex-soldier's constant friends and many have reported "coming out of their shells" and being far more sociable and getting on better with their wives and families as a result.

The program's creator John Jarrett established the program after constantly reading articles about rising suicide rates and divorces amongst the troops who served in Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq and on peace keeping missions. Endi