AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) – Ruben visits a nonprofit here in Amarillo and learns how the organization helps veterans with service dogs in the Panhandle.
Brooke Melton, the founder of Hope Lives Here, was diagnosed with PTSD in 2003.
Shortly after her diagnosis, she rescued a dog named Harley.
“And really, in the end, Harley rescued me. He brought me out of a very dark time, gave me a reason to live when I needed it the most,” said Melton.
Harley passed away suddenly in 2011 and after much thought and research, Hope Lives Here was founded in 2015.
“We train service dogs for disabled veterans suffering from post traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma and or chronic pain disorders,” said Melton.
U.S. Navy Veteran Bart Guthrie found out about the organization because he was in need of a service dog.
Guthrie said Melton worked for the VFW part time and she said the nonprofit had service dogs and that’s how everything came to be.
According to Guthrie, the VA said he shouldn’t be driving unless he had a service dog or someone with him all the time.
“And my wife is still working, so I’m by myself a lot,” said Guthrie.
Guthrie says he has an absent seizure disorder and his service dog, Pearl, alerts to that.
“And she gets me to pull over and turn the car off and stuff like that. So she keeps me safe,” said Guthrie.
Melton says they are a very unique organization because the majority of the dogs come from local shelters.
“We do believe in healing two heroes at a time. When our veterans come home from fighting for us, I feel like they are left behind, and I feel like we need to be better prepared to fight for them,” said Melton.
Melton believes that Hope Lives Here is very vital because it’s the only service dog organization in the area.
“Having Pearl is phenomenal. First off, I’m around Pearl more than I am my wife,” said Guthrie.
Guthrie says he can come by to visit and it feels like home when he walks through the door at Hope Lives Here.
“You know, people really are glad I’m here. Most of my life, I haven’t felt like I belonged anywhere,” said Guthrie.
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