June 2026 Newsletter

Aug 14

June marks National PTSD Awareness Month, a month dedicated to raising public awareness about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, destigmatizing its effects, and highlighting the paths to healing. For millions of people, especially Veterans, First Responders, and Law Enforcement Officers, PTSD is a daily exhausting battle.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 13 million Americans have PTSD in any given year, with about 6% of the U.S. population experiencing the condition at some point in their lives. While the invisible wounds of trauma can make the world feel like an unsafe place, there is hope. At MWAM, we are privileged to watch hope walk on four paws every day, witnessing the incredible transformation a Service Dog brings to a recipient.

The Lifesaving Impact of a Service Dog

A Service Dog is far more than a companion; they are a trained medical asset and a constant anchor. For someone living with PTSD, hypervigilance, flashbacks, and severe anxiety can turn a simple trip to the grocery store or a family gathering into an overwhelming ordeal. Our dogs are meticulously trained to mitigate these exact symptoms through specialized tasks such as:

Customized Nightmare Interruption: When a recipient experiences a night terror, their Service Dog can detect the physical signs of distress, such as an elevated heart rate, and gently wake them, bringing them back to reality.

Creating a "Buffer" in Public: In crowded spaces, a Service Dog can create a physical barrier that gives their person a sense of security and personal space.

Anxiety Grounding: During an anxiety attack or flashback, a Service Dog can apply deep pressure therapy (resting their weight across the recipient's lap) to calm the nervous system.

While the physical tasks are vital, the emotional bridge our Service Dogs build is equally life-changing. PTSD frequently forces people into isolation, straining relationships with family and friends. A Service Dog demands a routine, requires walks, and gently coaxes their person back into community life. When the recipient receives a Service Dog from MWAM, they are regaining their independence, re-anchoring their confidence, and finding the freedom to live again fully.

PTSD may change a life in an instant.

🐾An expertly trained Service Dog can help rebuild it.🐾

Mutts With A Mission is proud to be part of a national coalition of accredited service dog organizations united around a single, specific goal: ensuring the VA updates its policy to reflect what Congress already authorized.

In 2021, the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act gave the VA Secretary explicit authority to provide service dogs to veterans living with post-traumatic stress — regardless of whether they have a physical disability. Five years later, the VA’s governing regulation has not been updated to reflect that authority. Veterans who need and could benefit from a trained service dog are being turned away because of a policy gap that does not have to exist.

The evidence is clear. The largest nationwide clinical trial to date — 156 veterans, published in JAMA Network Open in 2024 — found that veterans with service dogs had 66% lower odds of a PTSD diagnosis based on clinician assessment compared to those receiving usual care alone. This is not an emerging idea. It is documented, peer-reviewed medicine.

At Mutts With A Mission, we witness the critical need for highly-trained service dogs every day among the PTSD veterans we serve. This policy gap adds an unfair hurdle to an already tiring journey for America's heroes. It is time for the VA to align its regulations with the law and recognize PTSD as a qualifying condition for service dog benefits.

We are not asking Congress for new legislation. We are asking the VA to align its regulation with the law that already exists. That is a winnable ask — and we are building the coalition to win it.

FOLLOW THE VETERAN SERVICE DOG COALITION ON FACEBOOK!

“Bar none, Crew saved me from my crippling PTSD. Crew’s precision tasks afford me the confidence needed to visit unknown environments and interact with the public. Alerting me during a flashback, night terrors, or when overwhelmed with anxiety, reassures I can live outside my home. I can’t imagine life without Crew.” -Rob

Mutts With A Mission is excited to highlight local businesses that have chosen to make a meaningful impact and become Camo Sponsors!

💚Welcome, Clark Nexsen, A JMT Company from Town Center, Virginia Beach. Clark Nexsen is an architecture and engineering design solutions company. We are excited to host their employees for a Volunteer Day coming up in August, where they will come out to our training center, do a little volunteering, and meet some of our Service Dogs in Training.

💚Thank you, VB Women's Republican Club, for coming out to see our Service Dogs in Training. It is always a treat to see our supporters. Your continued kindness and generosity allow us to place these Service Dogs at no cost to our recipients.

💚 We would also like to welcome Big Dog Barbell of Virginia Beach. The folks at Big Dog Barbell kicked off the long Memorial Day weekend with a Murph Challenge and invited MWAM to be on hand to support the athletes. It was a great day to remember and honor our military and an excellent opportunity for dog training.

Thank you, Clark Nexsen, VB Women's Republican Club, and Big Dog Barbell, for your generous support and commitment to supporting

Veterans and First Responders.

Want to make a lasting impact like these organizations? Your business can help strengthen the mission and support the training of our Service Dogs. Click below to learn more about Sponsorship Opportunities!

MAKE AN IMPACT - SPONSOR A SERVICE DOG IN TRAINING!

Pictured above left is SDiT Gizmo II, sponsored by HII Mission Technologies, middle are SDiTs Phoenix and Patriot, Patriot is sponsored by Raytheon, An RTX Business; right is SDiT Phoenix at the Murph Challenge with Big Dog Barbell.

OWNER TRAINED PROGRAM INFO🐾

Help us welcome Boomer to our program! Boomer is a black Labrador Retriever and comes to us from NEADS Breading Co-op. He and his Puppy Raiser have been getting to know each other, working on house manners and enjoying themselves playing outside

We are happy to announce that Boomer has been sponsored by an anonymous donor who also sponsored Service Dog in Training, Lark.

👏Thank you for your generosity!🎉

Pictured below is SDiT, Boomer

I WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SPONSORSHIPS!

I WANT TO BECOME A MONTHLY DONOR!

We are incredibly grateful to Trane Mid-Atlantic Region of Chesapeake and Navy Federal Credit Union for their recent volunteer efforts! These dynamic teams accomplished so much in such a short time.

By cleaning our training facility and organizing everything from crates and puppy cots to toys and treats, they have helped build a safe, structured environment for our SDiTs.

Thank you for your amazing dedication to our mission! 🐾

Pictured above: left is SDIT Pioneer with the volunteer team from Trane Mid-Atlantic Region of Chesapeake; right is SDiT Willow, sponsored by VB Vets Give back and volunteers from NFCU.

If you, your business, or organization would like to volunteer, reach out!

liz@muttswithamission.org

🐶Tail wags are waiting for you!🐶

➡️Click here to learn about becoming a Puppy Raiser!

REGISTRATION FOR PAW SUNCATCHER FUNDRAISER EVENT!

Summer is heating up, but we are bringing a touch of winter cheer to the Mutts Merch store! Check out our Christmas in July BOGO -

Purchase a MWAM short-sleeve T-shirt, and get a FREE water bottle!

ENTER Code: XMASJULY when checking out!

Don't forget to browse our collection of fan-favorite hoodies, t-shirts, tumblers, and adorable plush pups.

Every item purchased directly supports our mission of providing highly trained Service Dogs to Veterans and First Responders.

Box up some joy and get FREE shipping on your entire order!🚚

CLICK HERE FOR CHRISTMAS IN JULY!🎁