4 dogs rescued off highway now training to help Arizona veterans

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- It’s a story of hope, resilience and service. A German shepherd was found on the side of a highway, guarding her three pups inside a box. Thanks to the help of a Good Samaritan, all four dogs survived, and they’re now supporting local veterans.

Beth and her three puppies, named Valor, Liberty and Honor, were brought to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Animal Save Haven (MASH) program, where inmates train dogs. However, instead of putting the pups up for adoption, they are now preparing to become service dogs through collaboration with the organization Soldier’s Best Friend. Beth is paired up with a disabled veteran and is on her way to becoming a fully licensed service dog!

Mik Milem, Executive Director of Soldier’s Best Friend, says pairing the dogs with veterans is a six- to nine-month process. “All of these veterans are living with PTSD or a traumatic brain injury; that’s how they get into our program. The dogs are trained for basic obedience, and then they are trained to do specific tasks for those veterans with symptoms of PTSD or TBI,” he explained.

For more information about Soldier’s Best Friend, click or tap here.

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