In early June, Eryn Redmond was in her backyard in North Reno with Annie, a black Labrador she had been raising since the dog was eight weeks old.
Annie, now just over a year old, stayed close to Redmond and followed her movements throughout the yard.
Redmond is a retired Marine who served nearly 25 years. After leaving the military, she moved to Reno to be near family. She said she struggled with PTSD, chronic pain, and adjusting to everyday life.
She later learned about Liberty Dogs, a nonprofit that trains service dogs and places them with veterans. She signed up to be a puppy raiser.
She said Annie has helped her manage symptoms, even though she doesn’t consider the dog a therapy animal.
“There are days where I can’t get out of bed, whereas she will put her paws up on the bed, and she gives me purpose and reason to get out of bed,” Redmond said.
Liberty Dogs puppy raisers commit to about 18 months of training. They attend weekly classes, follow structured routines at home, and prepare the dogs for advanced training later in the program. But volunteers know from the start that the dogs won’t stay with them.
After training, the dogs move on to advanced placement preparation before being matched with a veteran.
Redmond’s scheduled turn-in date is Aug. 15. She has been working through the transition with a therapist.
“I like to say it’s better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all,” she said. “I would rather have spent the last 18 months with her than not, because she’s been really important in my life.”
Liberty Dogs says its mission is focused on supporting veterans, particularly those experiencing PTSD and related conditions.
Cameron Peters, the organization’s director of veteran services and a military veteran himself, said the need is significant.
“If you’re a veteran out there and you are struggling, Liberty Dogs wants to absolutely help you any way that we can,” Peters said.
Research on service dogs and PTSD has shown positive outcomes. A study led by Maggie O’Haire at the University of Arizona found that participants with service dogs had lower PTSD symptoms and improved mental health measures within three months.
"We found that the group with the service dog had significantly lower PTSD symptomology, they actually had 66% lower odds of even meeting the diagnostic criteria for PTSD after three months. They also had lower depression, lower anxiety, higher quality of life, and more social engagement,” O’Haire said.
Liberty Dogs had 10 dogs in advanced training as of May. The organization expects its first veteran-dog placements in August, ahead of the September opening of its new campus.
Redmond is set to say goodbye to Annie in a few weeks, but she has already been selected to receive a fully trained service dog through the program, intended to help with PTSD symptoms, pain, and anxiety.
