Antonio Merriweather kisses his service dog Marley after speaking to veterans who applied for the VDOGS program that pairs service dogs with veterans during an orientation session at Top Dogg K9 Foundation in Lilburn on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. Ben Gray for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Antonio Merriweather, 50, had not gotten out of bed in three months, suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety after serving in the Army for 15 years.
He relied heavily on opioids and cocaine to numb the pain.
“I was already going through some treatment, therapy, and I was working and fighting, but I just got to a point where my fight didn’t seem like it was working,” the Ellenwood resident said. “So I just sat in this bed and said, ‘It’s over.’”
It’s a story that is shared among countless other U.S. veterans struggling to assimilate back to everyday life after witnessing or experiencing traumatic events, often in combat. Of the 5.8 million veterans using Veterans Affairs care in fiscal year 2024, about 14% of men and 24% of women were diagnosed with PTSD , according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. In 2020, the suicide rate for veterans was 57.3% higher than that of nonveteran adults, according to a 2022 VA report.
So when Merriweather’s wife heard of Top Dogg K9 Foundation, an organization that trains service dogs and pairs them with veterans dealing with mental health issues, she pulled Merriweather out of bed and drove him straight to Lilburn.
Blake Rashad , the co-founder of Top Dogg K9 Foundation, recalled Merriweather dragging his feet into the small, one-floor establishment, unshaven with a hood draped over his head.
“You can’t help me get better,” Merriweather said to him.
Rashad responded, “You’re wrong.” Antonio Merriweather, with his service dog Marley, talks to veterans who applied for the VDOGS program that pairs service dogs with veterans during an orientation session at Top Dogg K9 Foundation in Lilburn on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. Ben Gray for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Credit: Ben Gray for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With the help of a therapist, the organization pairs veterans with available service dogs […]
‘My dog is my medication’: Veterans with PTSD paired with service dogs
