Uplifting
My service dog’s impact: Dorthea Pilkons
U.S.
Key takeaways
- Service dog Beth acts as a lifeline to safety, helping veteran Dorthea Pilkons manage PTSD and hearing loss.
- Beth was trained for two years at America's VetDogs, and Pilkons trained for two weeks to become her handler.
- Pilkons spent 10 years appealing and went to federal court in Boston to receive her service-connected rating.
U.S. Army veteran Dorthea Pilkons, who suffers from severe PTSD and hearing loss, shares how her service dog Beth has transformed her life. Trained by America's VetDogs, Beth helps Pilkons manage hyper-vigilance in public by creating physical space, wakes her from nightmares to improve her sleep, and alerts her to sounds she cannot hear. This partnership has allowed Pilkons to reduce her sleep medication and navigate daily life safely and without stress.
Highlights the profound, practical impact service dogs have on veterans recovering from trauma and physical disabilities.
In their words
“Beth has become a great gift, making my life comfortable and returning some of life’s things we take for granted back again.”
By the numbers
- 70%
- military sexual trauma and PTSD rating
- 40%
- hearing loss rating
- 10
- years of appeals to receive service-connected rating
- 2
- years Beth spent learning her skills
How it unfolded
- Congress designates National Service Dog Day
- National Service Dog Day is celebrated
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Common questions
- What happened with Army veteran Dorthea Pilkons' struggle with PTSD and hearing loss?
- Service dog Beth acts as a lifeline to safety, helping veteran Dorthea Pilkons manage PTSD and hearing loss.
- Where can I read the original report?
- Read the full report at Google News.
