Meet Huey, this year’s winner of Dog Chow’s Visible Impact Award.
The chocolate Labrador Retriever from Soledad, California helps U.S. Army veteran Ramon manage post traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury that resulted from his service in Iraq.
“Huey helps Ramon by smelling changes in Ramon's body chemistry when he’s about to have a dizzy spell or migraine,” said actor/singer Anthony Ramos, who partnered with Dog Chow on the award. “When he detects a dizzy spell, Huey will stand between Ramon’s legs to hold him up and help him balance. It’s truly incredible to see what these PTSD service dogs are capable of.”
The award is part of Dog Chow’s 6th annual Service Dog Salute program, which highlights the life-changing benefits that service dogs provide to veterans.
Huey and Ramon were paired by Operation Freedom Paws, a nonprofit that provides service dogs to veterans, non-veterans, first responders and children.
Ramon spent 17 years in the Army. He told Operation Freedom Paws that it took many years for him to realize that he was experiencing PTSD.
“There are many casualties of war that go unnoticed, unappreciated, or unacknowledged, and I really felt like one of them,” he said. "I speak from my own experience when I say that the unseen wounds that so many of us carry can be, and are, just as deadly as an IED or mortar round. The difference is that I was trained to defend myself from these man-made weapons. But when it came to the aftermath of what went on in my mind, I stood defenseless.”
From almost the moment they met at OFP, Ramon and Huey had an unbreakable bond.
“Huey came up to me right away and hugged me. Then he jumped into my lap and just sat quietly,” Ramon said. “We bonded right away.”
Ramon is paying it forward by serving as a mentor and trainer for OFP.
“Roughly 3.5 million military veterans suffer from PTSD, and while service dogs are demonstrated to reduce the severity of PTSD symptoms, the reality is only 1% of those in need who seek a service dog receive one each year,” said Ramos. “My dog Prince isn’t a service dog but has a clear impact on my life. He can turn a bad day around and helps me undo any stress I carry. I’m incredibly grateful for him and can only imagine the relief and life changing effects these service dogs have on their veterans.”
Ramos said partnering with Dog Chow allowed him to honor his family’s military legacy. His father, grandfather and several aunts and uncles have all served in the armed forces.
Five service dogs were selected as finalists in the competition and dog lovers across the country voted for the winner. For every vote cast, Dog Chow donated $5 to the Association of Service Dog Providers for Military Veterans, up to $75,000, to help train more PTSD service dogs. Ramon received a $10,000 cash prize and $25,000 for OFP.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.