Dog Bless You is a non-profit sponsored by Explore.org. Since forming in 2011, Dog Bless You sponsors awareness challenges that pair dogs with people in need. Last year, they campaigned for aid for Search And Rescue dogs to emergency efforts in Japan and in the United States, and in March, they ran a campaign for guide dogs for the blind. Dog Bless You's current campaign is to help soldiers suffering with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Every year, soldiers return home to the United States after serving in wars overseas. These heroic men and women come home, but in the line of duty they may have physical and psychological scars that need help healing. For many of them, a service dog would be a true blessing, but the reality is a service dog is finanically out of reach for many veterans.

Dog Bless You's Spirit of '76 Initiative

For every 1,000 new Facebook fans, Tumblr followers, and Pinterest followers Dog Bless You gets, they will donate a service dog to a soldier with PTSD. This year, they will donate up to 100 companion and service dogs to war vets, depending on the amount of awareness raised. The campaign began on Memorial day with 327,000 "Likes" on Dog Bless You's Facebook page.

Last year, their awareness challenge grant brought 34 service dogs to veterans with PTSD. This year's challenge grant is valued at up to $1 million dollars and will be the biggest initiative in the organization's history.

What is the goal of this initiative?

In addition to changing the lives of 76 vets by pairing service dogs with war vets in need, Dog Bless You is hoping to touch many more lives through their awareness campaign. Dog Bless You is non-profit philanthropic organization and in this campaign, their goal is to raise awareness of veterans with PTSD and how service dogs can help them cope by providing emotional and psychological support.

"Dogs are the guardian angels of the human soul, and few people need or deserve them more than those who have served our country," says Dog Bless You founder Charlie Annenberg Weingarten. "If we entrust dogs to help critical missions on the fields of war, we should entrust dogs to help take care of our men and women at home."

Why "Like"?

Social media is a very effective way of raising awareness. The group's founder, Charles Annenberg Weingarten, says "We want to raise awareness about the amazing role dogs can play in the lives of veterans and people who suffer from emotional and psychological damage - while giving everyone a chance to participate through a zero-cost contribution."

Your zero-cost contribution is a simple Facebook "Like". When you "Like" a photo, a post, a status update and a Facebook page, your "Like" will show up on your Facebook Wall and the Walls of your friends. This spreads the message and raises awareness to the cause. This is why your "Likes" matter and why Dog Bless You is asking for "Likes" in this campaign.

What is Dog Bless You?

Dog Bless You is a non-profit organization created to champion the selfless acts of dogs and celebrate the unique role they play in improving the human condition.

Dog Bless You is part of Explore.org, which is a philanthropic group founded by Charles Annenberg Weingarten. Wiengaraten's family founded the Annenberg Foundation, which was established in 1989 with $1.2 billion in assets and has provided funding to schools, charities and other worthy causes ranging from education to environmental stewardship, social justice and animal welfare. In the past three years, Explore.org has given $10 million in grants in 16 countries.

"The mission of Explore.org is to champion the selfless acts of others, to create a portal into the soul of humanity and to inspire life long learning. What is the easiest way to do this? Through dogs - they see our souls like no other. That is why as we build Dog Bless You, I believe that its mission should be to champion the selfless acts of animals."

Who they're working with

Dog Bless You is working with select non-profit groups, and the group is looking for more organizations to work with. They are currently working with: ECAD, Freedom Service Dogs, Paws and Stripes, Patriot PAWS, Puppies Behind Bars, P2V, Pets for Vets, Soldier's Best Friend, and PAWS for Purple Hearts.

The dogs are specially trained by these groups as companion and service dogs for PTSD sufferers.

What have they done?

Last year Dog Bless You provided more than 40 service dogs to veterans with PTSD.

One vet helped is Rudy. Rudy served in Afghanistan where he became something of legend by going into the towns and befriending the locals, thus recovering 22 different names of suicide bombers. Rudy was diagnosed with PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in 2008 when he returned to the United States. He got a service dog called Jack Jack.

Jack Jack’s training was made possible by Soldier’s Best Friend and the Dog Bless You project. Says Rudy: "Jack Jack has changed my life, he gives me a reason to live again, to get up everyday. He’s my best friend, my constant companion. He never judges, he’s just there for me – no questions asked, my little Buddy…he gives me hope.”

Why take action?

Getting likes is something everyone can do with minimal effort. We won't let the call go unnoticed. It's not often we see an opportunity to make a difference with a simple "Like". It shouldn't be a question - it should be an action!

So if you support the goal of this initiative, go click "Like" and encourage your friends to "Like" Dog Bless You. You can help deserving veterans get the special dogs they need in their lives and take action in spreading the word about the amazing role dogs can play in the lives of veterans and people who suffer from emotional and psychological damage.

Dog Bless You on Facebook

Dog Bless You on Pinterest

Dog Bless You Tumblr

Please note, we are not affiliated with Dog Bless You. We came across this initiative, researched it and thought we would share what we know about them with everyone. We know their message of the positive impact dogs have in people's lives is one we, and everyone who knows that dogs are family, wholeheartedly support. 

- The DogHeirs Team

• Dog Bless You
• PTSD
• service dogs
• companion dogs
• social awareness
• challenge grant