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'Fur angel'
Izeus Apollo von Schraderhaus
Certified psychiatric service dog helps
veteran struggling with PTSD
by Margaret Kearns
Keauhou resident Kimberly
Hawks, 24, is a successful model, actor and personal
trainer. Happily married to Jeremy Hawks, a bomb
appraisal officer with the federal government, she
is also the mother of two rambunctious boys, Jeremy,
21/2, and Justin, 11/2.Special To West Hawaii Today Sunday, January 25, 2009 7:09 AM HST Kimberly's full life, however, would not be complete, would literally not function the same, without her constant companion Zues, a 3-year-old, black German shepherd and certified psychiatric service dog. An Air Force veteran, Kimberly struggles daily with post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Zues is her highly trained guardian, a "fur angel" who gives her the confidence and care she needs to live a full life in the civilian world. While symptoms of PTSD vary, Kimberly suffers from social anxiety, where crowds of people can trigger a panic attack, flashbacks, difficulty focusing and forgetfulness. That's where Zues takes charge. "We share this incredible psychic connection. Out in public he senses immediately the moment fear and anxiety begin to take over and goes to work establishing a safe boundary around me," Kimberly said. She explains that Zues is trained to create a 5-foot-diameter "safe barrier" between her and others when they encounter crowds in their daily travels -- from routine errands, such as grocery shopping, to recreational outings to the beach, restaurants, movies and more. On the other hand, Zues also serves as a "social ice breaker" for Kimberly. "Many people are attracted to dogs in general and having a service dog out in his working vest also attracts curiosity. As a result, I find myself having conversations with strangers, making connections out in the community. With Zues at my side, I feel protected and safe," she said.
As a working breed, with natural herding tendencies, the German shepherd is especially suited to this sort of service work. That, plus the fact that Kimberly loves the breed and her husband grew up with German shepherds, led her to finding Zues, lovingly bred and raised by Roy-based Schraderhaus K9 GSD kennel. Kimberly, who was diagnosed with PTSD in 2004, was honorably separated from military service in 2006, following three years of service as part of the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Team in Washington state. "We received the bodies of all fallen individuals (military and civilian) returning to the U.S. from active war zones," she said.
In late 2006, she and her treatment counselor agreed she needed more daily assistance than she was receiving at the time. After viewing a program about medical alert dogs on the Discovery Channel, Kimberly began her journey to find Zues with a written letter of support from her therapist in hand. Her success with Zues has led Kimberly to become an avid proponent for service dogs being recognized and endorsed by the Veterans Administration for assisting others struggling with PTSD. "I want the veteran community to know the positive impact these remarkable dogs can have on their quality of life," she said. She is equally passionate about raising public awareness about the important, life-enhancing work the dogs perform and about federal laws that provide certified working dogs access to public establishments, including restaurants, shops, libraries and public transportation. While the costs associated with medical alert dogs for veterans with PTSD is not covered by VA benefits, she said the Psychiatric Service Dog Society is working with the VA to possibly change that in the future. Felipe Sales, team leader of the Kona Veteran Center and acting leader of the Hilo Veteran Center, said the use of psychiatric service dogs for PTSD cannot be accepted as a "treatment modality" by veteran centers, including those on the Big Island, until it is approved by the federal agency. A dog lover himself with great respect for the work performed by service dogs, Sales said one of the biggest issues he and his staff find among veterans returning from active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan are avoidance and isolation. "We see individuals with tremendous relationship issues, individuals who cannot socialize, who are finding it incredibly difficult to re-adjust to 'normal' life after experiencing years of war being their daily 'norm,'" Sales said. Unfortunately, for these individuals, the potential exists that the dog can become yet another barrier for them in making the transition back to civilian life, he said. "In some cases, an individual can find all the companionship they believe they need in their dog (service dog or pet) and retreat even further from developing relationships with people," he explained. Currently, Sales said, the Kona and Hilo veteran centers provide readjustment services to about 600 veterans on the Big Island. Of those, only about 20 are veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan; the majority, he said, are veterans of earlier conflicts, specifically Vietnam and Grenada. For now, it is up to individuals with PTSD and their doctor to determine whether a psychiatric service dog is the best treatment program for them. Never a question in Kimberly's mind, Zues has given her wings.
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