'Dogs of War:' New A&E Series Captures 'Intense' Journey of PTSD Military Veterans As They're Matche
The A&E network will soon debut "Dogs of War," a new docu-series about war veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the service dogs that help them adjust back into life after combat.
The show, which premieres on Veteran's Day next month, is based on married couple Jim and Lindsey Stanek and their nonprofit organization Paws and Stripes. The organization provides service dogs to wounded military veterans, and each episode will chronicle the journey of one or two PTSD veterans as they are paired with man's best friend.
"This series is full of raw, real and intensely emotional moments that don't often get a spotlight in mainstream media," David McKillop, General Manager and Executive Vice President of A&E said in a press release.
The pets provided to the veterans are all adopted shelter dogs that are trained in rehabilitation. The series captures the many ways in which the dogs assist military vets in their struggles with PTSD.
Jim, a former veteran who served three tours in Iraq, decided to launch Paws and Stripes after experiencing his own struggles with PTSD upon returning home from combat. At one point, he found himself on the brink of homelessness and on a long waiting list to be paired with a service dog, which only added to his ordeal.
In a bid to make the recovery process easier for other war vets, Jim's organization adopts unwanted dogs from kill shelters and trains them before pairing them with veterans at little to no cost.
"Each veteran's story of survival is humbling and we are proud to create a series that captures the light at the end of the tunnel for these heroes," McKillop said.
"Dogs of War" is produced by Custom Productions, Inc. and Redtail Media, LLC for A&E Network.
The show premieres on A&E on Nov. 11, 2014.
