Mann's Best Friends Grooming
My name is Caitlyn Mann, and my dream is to open a pet grooming shop and animal rescue to serve and help veterans with disabilities, here in my home town of Yuma, Arizona.
My husband, Ron Mann, joined the Army at the age of 17, and served two tours as a Military Policeman in Iraq, where he was injured in 2009. He now suffers from many different medical issues. PTSD is one of the main disabilities I have watched my husband struggle with, as well as VA appointments and job pressures.
To help him deal and recover from these issues, I have witnessed how our four dogs have helped him through many hard times.
Many people do not realize how much dogs actually help one's health. Dogs can lift your mood or help you feel less stressed, giving a better feeling of compassionship. All dog owners, including those who have Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), can experience these benefits:
*Help bring out feelings of love
*Are great companions
*Take orders when well trained. This can be very comforting for a Service member or veteran who is used to giving orders from time to time in the military.
*Pets are fun and can help to reduce stress
*Pets are a good reason to get out of the house, spend time outdoors and meet new people.
*People with PTSD can get better with treatment
My family has helped me with a location and a building that we are now renovating. We hope to open for business the middle of November. I still have equipment and other business expenses that I have to incur in order to have a successful business.
Once I am successful witht the grooming salon, then the plan is to open an animal sanctuary and employ veterans who suffer from disabilities. Aside from just basic employment, veterans will be welcomed and encouraged to volunteer at the sanctuary as a form of therapy. At the sanctuary I would love to have a dog trainer on staff who specializes in therapy and service dogs to train the dogs that fit the requirements to become therapy and emotional support dogs. The sanctuary would not just be dogs and cats, but also any horses, cattle, goats, sheep, rabbits and chickens that need to be rescued as well.
The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs estimates that 131,000 veterans are homeless on any given night, with approximately twice that many experiencing homelessness over the course of a year. Conservatively, one out of every three homeless men who is sleeping in a doorway, alley, or box in our cities and rural communities has put on a uniform and served this country.
How To Help:
If you are unable to donate to our cause, then please help by spreading the word about us as well as our hopes and dreams. Please help make this dream a reality not just for me but for my husband and other veterans who have not received the help to cope with life after service and adjusting to the real world.
THANK YOU and GOD BLESS
Did you know that between 130,000 and 200,000 veterans are homeless in America on any given night, which represents one-fifth of all homeless people?
Here are some statistics concerning the veterans homeless:
23% of homeless population are veterans
33% of male homeless population are veterans
47% Vietnam Era
17% post-Vietnam
15% pre-Vietnam
67% served three or more years
33% stationed in war zone
25% have used VA Homeless Services
85% completed high school/GED, compared to 56% of non-veterans
89% received Honorable Discharge
79% reside in central cities
16% reside in suburban areas
5% reside in rural areas
76% experience alcohol, drug, or mental health problems
46% white males compared to 34% non-veterans
46% age 45 or older compared to 20% non-veterans
Female homeless veterans represent an estimated 3% of homeless veterans. They are more likely than male homeless veterans to be married and to suffer serious psychiatric illness, but less likely to be employed and to suffer from addiction disorders. Comparisons of homeless female veterans and other homeless women have found no differences in rates of mental illness or addictions.
http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/veterans.html
