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COMPLETELY FREE OF CHARGE.
>> YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN THE
VIDEOS.
A LOVING DOG, A PROUD
SERVICEMEMBER, A TEAR-JERKING
WELCOME HOME FROM MEN'S BEST
FRIEND.
THERE'S NO HIDING THAT THESE
TROOPS ARE IMPORTANT TO THE
DOGS.
BUT THOUSANDS OF VETERANS ARE
COMING TO THINK OF DOGS AS THEIR
LIFELINES.
>> THIS IS A GREAT POSITION TO
BE ABLE TO CHECK THEIR EARS.
>> THIS IS A ROOM FILLED WITH
SERVICE DOGS IN TRAINING.
THEY SEEMED A BIT MORE RELAXED
THAN THOSE OTHER EXCITED DOGS
RIGHT NOW BUT THIS GROUP WORKS
HARD FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE
FIGHTING TO LIVE A MORE NORMAL
LIFE.
THEY TRAIN THOUSANDS OF DOGS
NATIONWIDE TO HELP WITH A WIDE
RANGE OF TASKS FROM TURNING ON
LIGHTS TO SHUTTING DOORS TO
SIMPLY LIFTING THEIR MOOD.
SERGEANT CALVIN SMITH SPENT A
DECADE IN THE MARINE CORPS,
INCLUDING TWO TOURS IN IRAQ.
AFTER SURVIVING BOTH A HUMVEE
CRASH AND AN IED EXPLOSION,
SMITH RETURNED WITH INJURIES TO
HIS BRAIN, BACK, AND LEGS.
FOR FIVE YEARS, THIS BLACK
LEBANON CHESNEY HAS HAPPENED HIM
WITH BALANCE AND SMALL TASKS.
GIVING PEACE OF MIND TO SMITH
AND HIS ENTIRE FAMILY, INCLUDING
THE SUPPORTIVE CAT.
TODAY, PET SMART ANNOUNCED THAT
IT IS TEAMING UP WITH CANINE
COMPANIONS TO PROVIDE TO
VETERANS IN NEED, FREE OF
CHARGE.
>> IT'S TOUGH TO ASK FOR HELP.
WE'VE GOT TO TAKE CARE OF OUR
OWN.
>> BRUCE IS ALSO A COMBAT
VETERAN AND ONE OF THE TOP
EXECUTIVES.
>> IT'S NOT NORMAL FOR
SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN TODAY TO
THINK THEY NEED HELP.
THEY ALWAYS -- THERE'S HUMILITY.
THEY SAY, HELP SOMEONE ELSE.
>> SMITH WANTED TO HELP SOMEONE
ELSE FIRST AND INSISTED HIS OWN
INJURIES WERE TOO MINOR TO
WARRANT A CANINE ASSISTANT.
>> KIND OF PUSH IT BACK LIKE NO,
I'M GOOD.
GIVE IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE, YOU
KNOW.
I'M NOT THAT INJURED.
>> ACCEPTING CHESNEY HAS ENABLED
HIM TO BE MORE INDEPENDENT.
>> BEFORE I WAS ALWAYS HAVING TO
DEPEND ON PEOPLE.
AND IT WAS LIKE HAVING MY LIFE
BACK BECAUSE HE'S BEEN A HUGE
PART OF ME WITH THE RECOVERY
PROCESS I FIND IT ONLY PHYSICAL
BUT HE'S THE BEST BUD.
HE'S DEFINITELY THE MEANING OF
MAN'S BEST FRIEND.
>> AS THIS LAUNCHES NATIONWIDE
TODAY, THORN AND SMITH ARE
HOPEFUL THAT MORE VETERANS WILL
EXPERIENCE THE KIND OF
FRIENDSHIP OFFERED BY CHESNEY.
ANOTHER REASON WHY THE PET SMART
PARTNERSHIP IS SO VALUABLE, THE
COST OF BREEDING AND TRAINING
THESE DOGS IS NOT CHEAP.