By Rich Larson
The founder of a Northfield-area nonprofit that gives trained service dogs to disabled veterans at no cost said the dogs help veterans get back to everyday life.
Sam Daly trained bomb-detection dogs for the Marine Corps and deployed to Afghanistan in 2012 and 2013. He said the comfort the dogs gave troops when they were off duty inspired him to found Believet with former Northfield resident John Sinning.
“Many disabled veterans are tremendously isolated,” Daly said Wednesday on KYMN Radio. “They actually fear their safety out in public.”
Daly said the dogs learn to sense anxiety and rising anger, to wake veterans from nightmares and to pull their attention away from stressful situations. Dogs placed with veterans who have physical disabilities can pull wheelchairs and pick up dropped objects.
“All of our veterans say, ‘I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for my dog,’” Daly said.
Board Chair Tudy Fowler said it costs about $42,000 to take a dog from puppyhood through graduation and follow-up visits. Believet will graduate 16 veteran-dog teams Sunday at College City Beverage.
The organization gets no government or insurance funding. It relies on donors and three annual events: the Hounds for Heroes clay-shooting tournament in May, a golf tournament and a fall event. Daly said fundraising has become harder since the COVID-19 pandemic, so the group is now applying for grants.
Believet recently earned accreditation from Assistance Dogs International. That makes its veterans eligible for a Department of Veterans Affairs benefit that pays for veterinary insurance for their dogs.
Fowler said that on average, two Minnesota veterans die by suicide each week.
“That’s our message, is to address that crisis one dog and one veteran at a time,” she said.
Volunteer foster families raise the puppies until they start full-time training, and Believet pays for their food and veterinary care. Information on volunteering, donating or applying is available at believet.org.
Rich Larson is the owner and General manager of KYMN Radio. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
