Megan and K-9 Charity

Hi, my name is Megan and this is Charity. Where to start? I was a police officer for almost 13 years and I stopped working, when my symptoms of PTSD made it impossible for me to keep doing the job. I never thought I would be in that position, but I knew that I could no longer do the job and the symptoms I was experiencing were becoming so intrusive that I wasn’t myself and I didn’t want to get to the point that my safety or anyone else’s was at risk. It was a hard decision to make and an even harder process to go through, being picked and prodded at, already being in that vulnerable state.
​Throughout the process of leaving my department, retirement process and healing, I had heard of Soldier 6. I thought it was great and I saw some familiar faces. I was even encouraged I could get my own dog too from a former co-worker (thank you), but I didn’t want to tell anyone that I get anxiety from most dogs. Aaaand, I’m a cat person. I know- most people are dog people.
​My husband and I had started talking about getting a dog in the fall of 2022, as it felt like it was finally the right time. I had come a long way with my mental health, and was in a good spot, so we started looking for a dog to rescue. I wasn’t finding anything locally that would fit our specific needs, as we also take care of my elderly mother, so I contacted my cousin in Kansas, who is a vet for a city Animal Control. I met Charity in December 2022, and immediately connected with her. She was so calm and sweet. She was pregnant and had a broken hip, so she had to be out in a larger room. Many Animal Control Officers and other employees were constantly walking back and forth and she never barked or was aggressive. When I met her, she walked up to me, stopped and looked up to me. I knew I had a connection with her, but it wasn’t until much later that I realized how special she was.
​For the first 3 months of 2023, Charity took care of her puppies, had surgery, and recovered. My husband was out of work, and my PTSD suddenly got worse, seemingly out of nowhere, for me. My husband told me we couldn’t get “a dog” because it wasn’t the right time. I insisted, “her name is Charity. She’s not just any dog.” 😊 And I gently told him how I just knew Charity was the right one for our family and how special she was. He was worried Charity would add to the stress and thought it wasn’t the right time, but agreed to at least make the trip to meet her. Charity almost immediately won his heart. She prefers women and I had met her before, but she kept going back to him immediately upon meeting him. He fell in love with her right away and she fell in love with him. Charity is very smart in practical ways, but also intuitive. She is good at giving space, but also comforting when she knows I’m upset. After really settling into her home, she has become more mischievous, protective, and continues to be her gentle self. My cousin believes she definitely is a mix of some type of cattle dog and after seeing her personality and reading about them, I can see those characteristics. Charity is the happiest, sweetest dog and she brings such joy into our lives. She has had a positive impact on everyone in our home and we couldn’t imagine our lives without her. Charity will be trained to be my service dog and because I now work as a therapist (LAMFT), she can also be used as a dual purpose with clients, so she will be helping a lot of people. Thank you so much Soldier 6 for this opportunity!