Warrior Canine Connection: Puppies trained to help veterans coping with PTSD

BOYDS, Md. - Fourth of July fireworks are a hallmark of celebrating freedom, but for some soldiers who've risked their lives defending that freedom, fireworks can bring them right back to the horrors of the battlefield.

Veterans can use a helping hand when dealing with the effects of post traumatic stress disorder and that's where Warrior Canine Connection steps in.

The non-profit organization trains puppies that will one day help veterans coping with PTSD.

For retired Marine Matt Moores, whose tank was destroyed during a 2013 ambush, Warrior Canine Connection gave him a sense of purpose after he recovered from his injuries at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

"What makes us different is that involvement of giving purpose to people who, like me, felt like they didn't have one anymore," Moore explained. "This gave me a mission again and gave me a sense of pride and a purpose that helped me recover."

The puppies, which are named after fallen service members, help the veterans through a physiological and psychological animal-human connection.

To learn how you can donate to Warrior Canine Connection, click here.