YARMOUTH – A local veteran is raising money to find four-legged companions for veterans struggling with PTSD, and needs help from the community
Matt “Scooter” Ribis is working to connect veterans with service dogs by rescuing dogs from shelters and training them to help those in need. Ribis is working with a statewide organization called Operation Delta Dog as part of the effort.
“[Operation Delta Dog] has been going around to the different shelters, picking out dogs that they feel they can train, and then training the dogs and matching them to a veteran,” Ribis said.
A meeting is planned for tonight at the Yarmouth Police Department at 6 p.m. to begin organizing. All are welcome to attend.
There are about 400,000 veterans in Massachusetts, with an estimated 80,000 of those dealing with PTSD and other ailments related to their service.
22 veterans a month commit suicide in the United States, and there are more than 50,000 stray dogs in Massachusetts.
“I’m a veteran with PTSD and I’ve had dogs for 43 years, if it wasn’t for those dogs, God only knows where I would’ve ended up,” Ribis said.