11/12/2024
‘Allowing me to have my life back’
Shelter Dogs for Veterans helping dozens with PTSD, TBI
by Mark Millican
After serving in deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan in the War on Terror, Nikisha Melendez struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression and other ailments. She went through therapy, but still grew anxious in public places – and especially crowds.
Then she learned about Shelter Dogs for Veterans, a unique outreach in Talking Rock that helps match those struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and other trauma from their military service get readjusted to civilian life. Shelter Dogs was created, and is operated by, Sharon Callan.
“Sharon has been extremely patient and understanding with me, and I have seen the progress,” said Melendez. “When I first went to Walmart for a training session, I had a panic attack and only lasted for about 5 minutes in the store. Now, I can take Joker (her shelter dog) and complete all of my shopping. Thanks to the training, I have started talking to people while in public, instead of remaining quiet and constantly looking around for an escape route.”
A volunteer with Shelter Dogs, Kim Fortenberry, is a Murray County schoolteacher who felt “led there” to help after she asked Callan to train her Labrador retriever, Hattie.
“The things I saw her doing training dogs and matching them to veterans made me a fan of hers for life,” said Fortenberry, who teaches at Pleasant Valley Innovative School in Eton. “I think it gives them a peace and belonging that they’ve been missing. It helps them be out in the public more since they have this companion, and can be more independent by helping them feel confident and assured. I can see the look on the veterans’ faces and see getting a trained dog just for them is hugely important in their recovery – the veterans feel like they’ve got a shot at life again. And the veteran’s family members know this is a step they couldn't get anywhere else.
“When she calls for help, I will say yes every time.”
Fortenberry has invited Callan to bring some of the therapy dogs to school and the students really enjoy the interaction, she said. Callan has been training dogs “for about 40 years.”
“It was originally old-school type training because it was all we knew,” she said. “It was very aversive with the dogs, but I went back to school in 2010 and studied positive reward-based training and that’s how I train now.”
Callan explained that aversive training was any negative training such as jerking on a leash, yelling or putting hands on the dog in any negative way – or even worse, shock collars, prong collars or choke chains.
“I started my personal business (training dogs) in July 2011, and then in 2015 started the nonprofit Shelter Dogs for Veterans,” she continued. “Basically, I pull dogs from the kill shelters and train them as service dogs for veterans and first responders that have PTSD, (TBI and military trauma. I have a good instinct at picking dogs.”
How do veterans find out?
Callan said referrals usually come from other veterans who already have dogs she has trained.
“Veterans will see them at the VA (clinic) or wherever and ask them where they got their dog, then they’ll contact me,” she said. “A lot of the organizations I work with will also make referrals to me. The American Legion sends people to me. It’s a lot of word-of-mouth. We don’t advertise; we probably should, but I’d rather spend that money toward training that dog for a veteran. Everything for the veteran is free; it’s all paid for through donations, and we do have fundraisers to try and raise money here in Ellijay and Jasper. We do have a couple of local donors who give to us yearly.”
Callan said Shelter Dogs for Veterans could really use someone knowledgeable in writing grants.
“It would be great to have a person who would help out doing that,” she said. “But the biggest problem we have for our organization is finding volunteers to help us. So it’s been more my husband and I, and we do have veterans come and help with the events when we do them.”
Shelter Dog veterans weigh in
James Campbell – “Sharon is such an amazing person who shows so much love and support to us and our animals. It’s one of the biggest highlights of our week when we have training sessions with her. I believe in divine intervention and wholeheartedly believe God blessed us all with knowing Sharon.
“I was a tactical medic with critical-care training specializing in ATLS (Advanced Trauma Life Support) before retiring in 2020. What most people don’t realize is that in public service with first responders or the military, our training doesn’t just teach us specialized skills; it also shapes our thinking in everyday life and how we perceive the world around us. We have a hard time turning off our training, and we’re forever mentally changed by our experiences. Our training sessions (with shelter dogs) are as much a therapy session for us as a training session for our animals, and having the right support is key.
“There’s many private companies that train service animals, but many are extremely expensive and the wait list is long. Many vets do not get the support they need in many aspects, especially in obtaining service animals to make our everyday lives easier. Having the support of Shelter Dogs for Veterans financially, practically and emotionally is truly an invaluable blessing, and I’ll never forget what Sharon and the organization have done for my family and myself. It has in fact inspired me to pursue a career in training service animals for future vets.”
Samuel Melendez – “This program means a lot to me because, until my service dog, Harley Quinn, was accepted and certified I did not want to go out, couldn't be in a crowd, and avoided anything and everything. When I met Sharon, she treated me with respect and even told me some hard truths. She asked about my service history and I told her I have a combat deployment to Iraq and multiple deployments to Afghanistan and even deployed in support of Hurricane Katrina relief. I have PTSD, anxiety, depression and TBI (traumatic brain injury), to name a few conditions.
“Thanks to having Harley Quinn I can go to places and have conversations with people. If I get anxious, depressed, angry or feeling some kind of way, I know Harley Quinn will be there for me – and has been – once she started picking up and alerting to my body language, and scents that my body produces when I'm starting to experience anxiety, depression or anger.
Nikisha Melendez – Shelter Dogs For Veterans means that I have an opportunity to get my life back. My service-dog-in-training is an American bulldog named Joker. He is a former stray. Joker has been able to alert me when I have a migraine coming on, as well as panic and anxiety attacks. I had brain surgery a few months ago, and leading up to the surgery, Joker was able to tell when I was going to black out. He has been my lifeline.
“Having Ms. Sharon guide me through the training has been more beneficial than I can put into words. I first met her at her training facility with Joker, and she assessed the training that he had previously been through. She said that he would be amazing as a service dog. Joker has my back, and I depend on that. I was not kidding when I said that he is allowing me to have my life back.”
Robert Shuman – “I have been working with Sharon at Shelter Dogs for Veterans for six months on my dog, Tallulah. Sharon has been an amazing trainer, volunteering her time to help veterans get their lives together. She has helped introduce me to other veterans in the area. She also has helped my wife with her service dog, Ripley, to help get her life back on track. I appreciate this program and all the help Sharron has given us ... the woman is a blessing and completely selfless.”
Shelter Dogs for Veterans
1711 John Teem Road, Talking Rock, GA 30175
(706) 299-8854
shelterdogsforveterans.org
Facebook: Shelter Dogs for Veterans
PHOTO CAPTION:
Samuel and Nikisha Melendez were featured in Apple Capital 2024, a magazine of the Times-Courier newspaper in Ellijay, in a story about Shelter Dogs for Veterans. Here they are pictured at the annual free Veterans Day breakfast sponsored by Ellijay First UMC. Nikisha was the Grand Marshal of the parade and also the keynote speaker. Their shelter dog Loki is in training. (Photo by Mark Millican)
