ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION
Partners in Changing Lives
Service Dogs for Veterans
Since 2018, PADS has been training and placing certified assistance dogs with Veterans and serving military members living with PTSD. Our goal is to increase the level of independence, enhance the quality of life, and increase community engagement for people living with PTSD. Service Dogs reduce the severity of the symptoms, speed recovery, and help reduce reliance on medication.
Veterans matched with a service dog showed a statistically significant decrease in PTSD and depression symptoms. In addition, for most participants, these decreases were both clinically significant and reliable. Further, participants reported significant reductions in anger and improvement in perceived social support and quality of life.” – Megan Kloep, PhD.
Meet Matt & PADS Fischer
Matt served in the Canadian Army for over 20 years, and was deployed in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Afghanistan. Proud of his military service, Matt continued a family tradition going back over a century. He was a leader and enjoyed his military career, until he didn’t anymore. Matt says that by the time he was in Afghanistan he began to question his role as a Peacekeeper. In 2014 he was medically released from service with severe PTSD and in 2022 was matched with PADS Fischer.
“This very wonderful fur-friend is a stalwart and incredibly astute worker, who has had my 6 wherever we go. I appreciate him immensely.”
PTSD PROGRAM UPDATES
The Royal Canadian Legion Foundation
On November 16, 2023 PADS Executive Director Laura Watamanuk and PADS Radar visited the The Royal Canadian Legion Foundation | BC/Yukon Command to receive a $10,000 cheque from Executive Director Amber Stewart representing donations from the following Legion branches:...
North Burnaby Legion
ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION #148We would like to thank the Burnaby Royal Canadian Legion Branch #148 for their generous donation of $6,000 from their Poppy Fund. Our Marketing & Media Coordinator, Meredith Areskoug, with PADS NAME, visited the Burnaby Legion on Sunday,...
South Burnaby Legion
ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION #83We would like to thank the Burnaby Royal Canadian Legion Branch #83 for their generous donation of $2500 from their Poppy Fund. Our Director of Communications, Tara Doherty, with PADS Cadence, visited the Burnaby Legion on BC Day, Sunday,...
Sicamous Legion
ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION #99 We would like to thank the Sicamous Royal Canadian Legion Branch #99 for their generous donation of $10,000 from their Poppy Campaign. Our Executive Director Laura Watamanuk, with PADS Mudge, visited the Sicamous Legion Headquarters on...
Deb & Vespa
MEET OUR MOVERS: Deb and Vespa Why they are Moving for PADS I found accepting my CPTSD diagnosis difficult and continued to take on every task I could to overload myself in lieu of dealing with matters. It wasn’t until I was forced into medical retirement that I found...
Jerry & Empress
PADS Empress walks through life at Jerry’s side, ensuring that she is always there when he needs her. Matched in May of 2022, Jerry shares: “Empress has impacted my life in a tremendously positive manner. Being with me 24/7, she ensures that any onset triggers are identified and dealt with before…
Coquitlam Legion
ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION #263We would like to thank the Coquitlam Royal Canadian Legion Branch #263 for their generous donation of $20,000 from their 2022 fall Poppy Campaign. Our Executive Director Laura Watamanuk, with PADS Mudge, visited the Coquitlam Legion...
Richard & Biscuit
Richard Chalke has been a Police Officer with the Vancouver Police Department since 1997. In 2019 he was diagnosed with complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result of the many exposures to traumatic events and scenes over the years serving his community....
In a New Light
We are honoured and overwhelmed to finally get to share this film with our community. It documents the journey of our client Juliet Walden and PADS PTSD Service Dog Stark. This STORYHIVE Documentary was produced by our dear friends, the incredibly talented Mack Stannard and Maddy Chang…
PADS PTSD Program
June is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) awareness Month. PTSD is a mental health disorder that may occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event. It is estimated that 9.2% of Canadians live with PTSD everyday. The PADS PTSD program trains...