Muscogee Nation Launches New Therapy Dog Program To Help Oklahoma Veterans

The Muscogee Nation is working to improve its resources for Oklahoma veterans and recently launched a new program with some furry friends to help in the efforts. The “Thank You for your Service” therapy dog program is how the tribe hopes to make a difference in the lives of Oklahoma veterans.

The Muscogee Nation is targeting veterans suffering from PTSD.

Grover Wind the Director of Veteran Affairs says they launched the pilot program with three dogs several months ago and it was a success with the dogs serving as companions for veterans.

A local dog breeder that gives therapy dogs to hospitals donated the dogs to the tribe. They are bred to be sensitive to an owner’s needs.

With additional funding, the tribe wants to improve the training that the dogs get before giving them to their new owner.

“I’ll use a veteran that’s got high blood pressure or sugar diabetes. Being able to partner a dog with him that we can send them to training that actually say they can actually sense the change in the person the chemical imbalance they can change that,” said Grover Wind, Director of Veteran Affairs, Muscogee Creek Nation.

Currently, the program has 10 dogs and tribal citizens are priority.

Wind says they are willing to help non-native veterans as well if they get additional support from the community.

Funding is the biggest challenge right now with the pets needing specialized training before vets adopt them.

When Muscogee Nation gives a dog to a vets dogs they like to set them up with food and additional resources.

“You can medicate and medicate somebody. You can take them and send them to a psychologist , but to have a companion that senses and is always with them has seemed to be so very successful for us,” said Wind.

For veterans interested in the program you are encouraged to reach out to the Muscogee Nation.