Team effort allows veteran and his son to get service dogs at no cost

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Military veterans suffering from PTSD face a long, tough road, but a service dog can be a life-changer.

A local veteran has teamed up with a K-9 training center in the region to provide service dogs to a Vietnam era veteran and his son.

On a recent afternoon, Jarrod James was getting acquainted with his new service dog, Nico.

Jarrod suffers from various physical ailments, and has battled depression. He takes care of his Dad, Vietnam-era veteran Vic James, who has PTSD.

Late last year, the Louisiana home shared by the father and son was destroyed in a fire, putting even more strain on both men.

“Didn’t have nobody to help me down the steps, so I dare deviled down the steps with my wheelchair, broke my wheelchair in the process and hurt my back, even more, it was scary,” said Jarrod.

Paul Gregg is co-founder of the Florida based organization called “Two Vets on a Mission.” They help find service dogs for veterans.

When Gregg heard about Jarrod and Vic James, he got in touch with the Tupelo based K-9 Training Center.

“The dogs will be their everyday companion, 99% of the time, got to make that commitment, that’s the game-changer,” said Gregg.

Steve and Mary Ann Shaffer trained two dogs, Nico for Jarrod and Cass for Vic. Tupelo resident Jeffrey Willard is also a veteran, with a service dog of his own named Sarge.

Willard rescued Nico and Cass, and took the pups to the training center where they were transformed into service pets.

“They’re doing great, it just blows my mind, like family helping family,” said Willard.

“Having a companion, right by me, I have wonderful people who talk to me off and on, I’m just missing that part of not having somebody there 24/7 and now I do, Nico, the first day of getting here, we hooked up like it was meant to be,” said Jarrod.

“Somebody you can fully trust and you can trust in these dogs it helps you mentally, my youngest son, it helps him,” said Vic.

Jarrod and his dad, Vic, are looking forward to getting back to their home in Louisiana, and spending many years with their new best friends.

Two Vets on A Mission also teams up with musicians and holds concerts as a way to raise money for our nation’s veterans.