Giant Eagle Inc. and Talking Rain Beverage Co., the makers of Sparkling Ice, are partnering to spread awareness about the value of service dogs for military veterans with PTSD and other hidden wounds.
“At Giant Eagle, we continually look for ways to support the communities we serve, and we know that for some U.S. veterans and others who live with PTSD, shopping in a busy supermarket can be an overwhelming experience,” said Jannah Drexler, public relations manager at Pittsburgh-based Giant Eagle.
“We are excited to team up with Sparkling Ice and K9s For Warriors to fund training for a service dog to help improve the quality of life for a very deserving U.S. veteran in Cleveland, Ohio.”
Since 2023, support from Sparkling Ice has enabled K9s For Warriors to rescue, train and pair 17 service dogs with veterans. Last year, the brand sponsored the “presidential campaign” of Rocky, a service dog in training who spent time advocating for the needs of veterans and shelter animals.
This year, Rocky’s story was shared again to help promote a new six-pack offering from Sparkling Ice, which has been co-branded for a limited time, after which it will be available in its everyday packaging.
“When two leading organizations join forces to give back to the community, they can make an extraordinary impact,” said Ken Sylvia, CEO of Talking Rain.
“K9s For Warriors meets a critical, ongoing need within the veteran community. Right now, 370 U.S. veterans are on a waitlist for a trained service dog, with another 284 applications pending. It’s a privilege to partner with Giant Eagle so we can mobilize and expand K9s For Warriors’ ability to serve every veteran who needs help.”
The star of the collaboration is a black Labrador puppy in Ponte Vedra, Florida, that has started training to become a K9s For Warriors service dog for a veteran with PTSD.
Giant Eagle team members will have the opportunity to name the black Lab puppy in training. This future service dog will appear in various social media collaborations and visit select stores and Giant Eagle’s Pittsburgh headquarters.
For decades, service dogs have supported people with visual, hearing and mobility impairments. Now, research shows that service dogs can aid veterans who struggle with mental health concerns, too.
In a recent study by Maggie O’Haire of the University of Arizona’s College of Veterinary Medicine, veterans who were paired with trained service dogs reported decreased severity of PTSD symptoms and lower levels of anxiety and depression compared to those without them. All the service dogs included in the study were trained by K9s For Warriors.
Since its founding, K9s For Warriors has paired more than 1,157 U.S. veterans with trained service dogs. While most of the dogs trained by the organization are rescued, it also has a program where puppies select breeders from across the country donate puppies who are raised by volunteers to reach more veterans.
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