Mary Peter the founder of K9 Partners for Patriots received the “Patriot Award for Service to Veterans” given by FOX Business Network. In an interview with Dana Perino, Fox News commentator and Former White House Press Secretary, Peter said, “I think watching lives change, Dana, when people come in and you know that you’re probably their last hope– medications didn’t work, alcohol didn’t work, drugs didn’t work and when they come here, they’re not sure this is going to work either but they’re giving it one more shot.”
Perino thanked Peter for her ”bright light.”
The Certified Master Dog Trainer Mary Peter formed K9 Partners for Patriots right here in Brooksville in 2014. Peter’s mission is to train service dogs to assist military Veterans in their non-military lives. Peter has been training dogs on a professional level since 1987. She has extensive experience in the law enforcement realm and the veterinarian community.
Peter decided to create a veteran-specific dog program after noticing that veterans were coming to her dog training classes, but not finishing. “They had been told a dog might possibly assist them with their Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,” Peter said. “At first I noticed these students weren’t taking full advantage of my classes. They were skipping or dropping out altogether. It was then I realized there was an urgent need for a more defined service dog training program for people with PTSD, TBI, and MST. So I developed a new program specifically meant for these military heroes, and their dogs. And, that’s where it all began.”
K9 Partners for Patriot’s mission is to help eliminate veteran suicides. The organization provides the opportunity for the men and women involved in the program to meet and share their stories, and decipher the individual pain and suffering they are experiencing, while they train and manage their very own service dog. The program is free and is a 24-week course that readies the dog and its new owner for a happy life together. All necessary training equipment needed for the new service dog is provided free of charge. “Our veterans find trust and understanding in our nonjudgmental family atmosphere,” said Peter.
The award received by K9 Partners for Patriots was presented during the Patriot Awards shown on both the Fox News Channel and the Fox Business Network and was billed as “a showcase of America’s heroes, including military veterans and first responders, among other inspirational figures.” The Patriot Awards categories included: The Everyday Patriot, Most Valuable Patriot (MVP), Patriot Award for Service to Veterans, Patriot Award for the Unsung Hero, Patriot Award for Courage, The Young Patriot, Patriot Award for Heroism, and The Patriot Award for the Modern Warrior.
Link to clip:
https://video.foxnews.com/v/6211387298001#sp=show-clips
Article Revision: This article was corrected to change Fox Business Channel to Fox Business Network.
