James Lamonte reached his hands through the openings of a fence and scratched behind the ears of Hulk, a former K9 with the Massachusetts State Police.
Lamonte told us it took months for the retired service dog to trust him enough to get this close.
“You’re being such a good boy,” Lamonte whispered.
Hulk is among the dogs spending their days at Lamonte’s K9 PTSD Research Center, a sprawling facility constructed on his property in Seekonk. Think of it as a retirement home specializing in the research and treatment of K9s injured or traumatized in the line of duty while serving in law enforcement or the military.
NBC10 Boston
NBC10 Boston James Lamonte and Hulk
“We take them in as a forever home here,” Lamonte explained. “Then we treat them for those conditions so they can live out their best life here.”
Lamonte opened the center in 2018 and has expanded it over the years, adding amenities for the K9s and layers of security for visitors on the property.
At first, Lamonte said he had a positive relationship with town leaders, granting them 24-hour access to surveillance cameras at the facility.
“We never had a written violation or complaint,” Lamonte said. “I believe in oversight. I’m a big proponent of inspections.”
NBC10 Boston
NBC10 Boston
However, Lamonte said things changed when a new animal control officer took charge in 2022. Lamonte said she seemed unwilling to follow his safety policies and procedures about what type of clothing visitors could wear at the center, especially law enforcement uniforms.
“[The animal control officer’s] exact words were, ‘Cut the crap, Jim,'” Lamonte said. “She showed up here with uniformed police officers, two uniformed animal control officers, and three police cruisers in order to conduct an inspection.”
Lamonte said the law enforcement imagery triggered PTSD symptoms in the K9s. Some of them trembled and went to the bathroom in their kennels. Lamonte said they also started growling at him and other staff members.
“That was a terrible day,” Lamonte said. “One of the worst days of my life.”
NBC10 Boston
NBC10 Boston An animal control vehicle in Seekonk
Lamonte eventually decided to take the animal control officers and Seekonk town leaders to court, suing for allegations like emotional distress.
Samantha Kemp is Lamonte’s attorney and told NBC10 Boston she is hoping the case will establish that K9s are more than just property.
“This is about the mistreatment of K9 heroes,” Kemp said. “For these dogs to have gone through what they went through is horrendous.”
Seekonk’s town administrator, animal control officer and town counsel did not respond to multiple calls or emails seeking comment about the allegations in the lawsuit. Over the phone, an administrative assistant for the town administrator would only say the town does not speak about pending litigation.
So like humans, is it possible for K9s to experience symptoms of PTSD?
To answer that question, NBC10 Boston connected with Dr. Nicholas Dodman, a longtime animal behavioral specialist with the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine.
“As far as I know, I was the first person to identify canine PTSD in service animals,” Dodman said.
NBC10 Boston
NBC10 Boston Dr. Nicholas Dodman
After years when the topic did not gain much traction or attention, Dodman said the diagnosis is now recognized by the U.S. military for K9s that served in duty.
“In the theater of war, dogs are exposed to the same horrors that people are,” Dodman said. “Any terrifying or traumatic experience that can occur to dogs, like getting caught in a house fire, can trigger the symptoms. It’s not just dogs of war.”
Lamonte’s lawsuit remains pending in Bristol Superior Court. Last August, a judge dismissed several defendants from the lawsuit, including the town’s Select Board members and the town administrator.
However, the judge did allow the case to proceed against the two animal control officers who inspected the property in April 2022. The next hearing in the case is slated for June.
When asked why he is pursuing the litigation, Lamonte responded, “Public awareness.”
“When you’re able to work with the dogs, heal them and see the light come back into their eyes, it is absolutely one of the most incredible feelings you will ever experience in your life,” he said.
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