When he got out of the Marine Corps, veteran Cole Lyle was suffering from symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Moreover, he was dealing with his friends’ deaths and the suicide of fellow veterans. Like other service members, this veteran did not find some relief from conventional treatments.
However, in 2014, everything changed when he met Kaya. After knowing that the Veterans Affairs (VA) did not provide service dogs for veterans with PTSD, Cole bought Kaya and paid for the dog’s specialized training using his own money.
Fortunately, Cole discovered a friend who trained service dogs for veterans like him with PTSD. That friend offered him to train his dog at a discounted rate.
According to Cole, training service dogs involves teaching them to do specific things, such as assisting somebody having anxiety attacks and waking a person up from a nightmare. The training, temperament, and pay for trainers are vital factors to consider when pricing service dogs. Thus, the average cost is around USD 20,000.
Kaya’s presence in Cole’s life changed everything, and the veteran’s symptoms were finally gone. He felt so fortunate that he wanted to help fellow veterans suffering from PTSD symptoms get service dogs. Thus, inspired by his experience and with his service dog by his side, Cole pursued the Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) Act. Beginning in 2015, the two flew more than 250 times for their cause.
And finally, the PAWS Act (also called the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act) was signed in August 2021. This act requires the VA to provide grants for organizations to train service dogs and match them with veterans.
The act also amends previous laws only allowing service animals for veterans with mobility impairment. But now, veterans can receive a service dog for mental health conditions after deployment, including PTSD.
According to statistics, an average of 20 veterans commit suicide every day. Thus, Kaya’s legacy is the several veterans who were inspired by her and motivated to continue living their lives.
However, this service dog recently took her final flight after being diagnosed with cancer. The flight’s pilot, a veteran, announced that it was Kaya’s last flight and gave honor to her.
Now that Kaya is gone, Cole is heartbroken. However, he is glad that his sweet service dog has affected the lives of so many veterans with PTSD.
@southwestair We were honored to fly our loyal friend and hero, Kaya, home to rest after a lifetime of hard work. Throughout her career, Kaya flew with us over 250 times to help establish the PAWS Act which united Veterans with service dogs. We are so grateful to be a part of her legacy, and we thank her and her owner, Cole, for their many years of service. ❤️
Credits to Southwest Airlines