In honor of Veteran's Day, Purina Dog Chow and award-winning recording artist and actor, Anthony Ramos, are proud to introduce this year's Dog Chow Visible Impact Award winner: Huey, a service dog who helps U.S. Army veteran Ramon manage his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The award recognizes Huey's impact on Ramon's life, detecting dizzy spells and migraines before they happen and helping the veteran open up to his family about his struggles.
"All of our service dog finalists have made a significant impact for their veterans, but Huey's story rose to the top for the thousands who voted," said Ramos. "The Visible Impact Award let us hear first-hand the role PTSD service dogs play, and we know there are more veterans who could benefit from a service dog the way Ramon has. We hope to inspire change so any veteran in need can get the help they deserve."
The Dog Chow Visible Impact Award recognizes the remarkable impact service dogs have on the lives of military veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Earlier this year, dog lovers nationwide were invited to vote on selected service dog finalists to help select the 2024 recipient of the award.
Meet Huey and Ramon
Struggling to return to civilian life after serving in Iraq, Ramon reached out to Operation Freedom Paws, a California-based service dog training organization committed to saving lives through the connections formed between humans and their service dog. After applying and being approved for the program, Ramon met Huey and they bonded immediately. They then spent the next year in training so the chocolate lab could learn the veteran's behaviors and areas of need for assistance.
"Huey has saved my life in so many ways over the past six years," said Ramon, who preferred to not use his last name for this story. "Not only has he helped me manage my PTSD symptoms and helped me become the father and husband I once was, he can detect a dizzy spell is coming on by smelling changes in my body's chemistry and then stands between my legs to help me balance."
As the winners of the Visible Impact Award, Huey and Ramon will receive $10,000, and Dog Chow will donate $25,000 to Huey's training organization, Operation Freedom Paws. Additionally, the brand will donate $75,000 to the Association of Service Dog Providers for Military Veterans (ASDPMV), to help train more service dogs.
Dog Chow's Commitment to Veterans
Dog Chow has supported the military since its founding almost 100 years ago. As part of its commitment to service members, Dog Chow started the Service Dog Salute program in 2018 to highlight the life-changing benefits that service dogs provide to veterans experiencing PTSD. Over the past six years, Dog Chow has donated more than $1 million to service dog organizations to support the care and training of more service dogs for veterans with PTSD at no cost to the veterans.
For more information about Dog Chow's support of our nation's veterans, visit DogChow.com/service.
