Welcome back, listeners, to the podcast that celebrates the professional and private lives of working dogs of all disciplines. I'm so glad you're here!

In today's episode, my guests and I discuss the value of a psychiatric assistance service dog to people who are suffering with PTSD. Gina Esoldi, Program Director for Next Step Service Dogs in San Diego, CA, joins me, along with two veterans, Tony and Richard, who have PTSD service dogs of their own. During this conversation, my guests explain how exactly PTSD service dogs give aid to their handlers and why it matters. It's a conversation worth listening to for anyone, whether or not one has encountered PTSD in one's own life, because as Gina points out during the episode, not all disabilities are visible. Learning about PTSD service dogs can help all of us understand the struggles of a trauma survivor, and thereby we can all become better supports for our fellow men and women who are facing this challenge. 

I'd like to note that this episode was recorded outdoors due to Covid-19, and was recorded by a busy street. Please pardon the background noise as, in my opinion, the content is worth overlooking the audial challenges. 

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to the podcast, rating it, leaving a positive review, and sharing with people you know who are interested in the topic. This show exists in support of its sister photography project on the same topic and of the same name. You can learn more about that by visiting www.herobeside.me.

I'd love to receive your feedback, questions, recommendations and ideas concerning this podcast. Please reach out at [email protected].

You can learn more about Next Step Service Dogs by visiting their website, https://www.nextstepservicedogs.org/ or their Facebook page. 

Thanks for listening! Be sure to give the furry hero beside you some extra love today.