Santa Rosa, CA – Canine Companions®, the nonprofit organization that transforms the lives of children, adults and veterans with disabilities by providing them with expertly trained service dogs free of charge, announces the launch of the groundbreaking CanineAlert™ Device. For many veterans, PTSD-induced nightmares are a debilitating aspect of daily life, impacting sleep quality, overall well-being, and daily functioning. Canine Companions® expertly trained service dogs already support veterans experiencing PTSD, but the addition of this device alerts the service dogs earlier and enables them to interrupt PTSD episodes earlier, leading to a shorter recovery period process. The CanineAlert™ Device integrates state-of-the-art technology with the specialized training of Canine Companions® service dogs, offering a more comprehensive solution to the traumatic nightmares experienced by veterans living with the symptoms of PTSD.The CanineAlert™ Device, developed and patented by Canine Companions® in-house team, monitors the wearer’s heart rate and wirelessly communicates with a collar device worn by the service dog. The collar activates a specific vibration that prompts the service dog into action. Unlike conventional approaches that focus only on interrupting nightmares, the CanineAlert™ Device also facilitates a faster recovery process by training the service dogs to initiate tasks aimed at reducing anxiety and hypervigilance in veteran’s post-nightmare.
“Our CanineAlert™ Device is a significant advancement in mitigating the impacts of PTSD,” says Paige Mazzoni, chief executive officer of Canine Companions®. “By combining innovative technology with the abilities of our trained service dogs, Canine Companions® is able to provide veterans a better and faster solution for managing their symptoms. The CanineAlert™ Device is a revolutionary approach to managing PTSD and will improve the lives of many veterans. We’re excited to broaden the application of the patent and technology over time, to help clients with a wider variety of symptoms and disabilities.”
Canine Companions® developed the CanineAlert™ Device to improve upon one of the most popular skills among Canine Companions® service dogs, the ability to recognize active nightmares and intervene by pulling off blankets or otherwise waking their humans and interrupting the episode. Statistics gathered from current Canine Companions® veteran clients reflect how much the dogs already do to support veterans experiencing PTSD:
- Over half of Canine Companions® veteran clients utilize nightmare interruption and recovery tasks daily or a few times per week.
- 85% of Canine Companions® veteran clients report an improvement in nightmares and night terrors.
- 89% of Canine Companions® veteran clients feel more comfortable sleeping in new locations, while 88% feel more at ease sleeping in their own beds.
- 70% of Canine Companions® veteran clients feel more comfortable sleeping without a protective tool.
- 76% of veteran clients report improvement in falling asleep, staying asleep and experiencing fewer nightmares since receiving their service dog.
About Canine Companions®
As the leader of the service dog industry, Canine Companions® provides service dogs to adults, children and veterans with disabilities and facility dogs to professionals working in healthcare, criminal justice and educational settings at no cost to clients. This powerful relationship leads to increased independence, self-esteem and inclusion for a person with a disability. Established in 1975, Canine Companions® is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) with six regions across the country, serving all 50 states. Learn more at canine.org or call 1-800-572-BARK.