This Army Veteran shares how getting a service dog has changed his life

Veterans Community Project resident Tony is walking on a path forward with Reya

At Veterans Community Project, we know that healing isn’t just about housing. It’s about restoring purpose, dignity, and connection.

And for many of our Veteran residents, that connection includes their pets—who, in many cases, serve as family, lifelines, and anchors in times need and times of transition.

Tony, an Army Veteran living in VCP Village, knows this deeply. His service dog Reya is a young Belgian Malinois who has been by his side through the toughest parts of his journey. “She’s my partner,” he says. “She gives me a reason to keep going.”

After moving into his 240-square-foot transitional home, Tony was introduced to Forgotten Coast K9, where he was paired with Reya—whose name means “friend” in Hebrew. Struggling with PTSD and depression, Tony needed a support companion to help navigate daily life.

From their very first night together, she never left his side. “She slept in the bed with me,” Tony says with a quiet smile. “It didn’t feel real at first, but it didn’t take long to know she was mine.”

Together, the pair navigates life as a team. She attends school with him, senses when he needs grounding, and provides comfort in the way only a trusted companion can. “Her just touching me helps calm me down. She can be a lot sometimes, but she’s my kid,” Tony laughs.

Since Reya entered his life, Tony said VCP has supported them both and treated her like family.

“Everyone knows her in the Village,” Tony says. “They’ve made sure we both have everything we need.” That stability has allowed Tony to focus on his education and growth while giving Reya a safe place to train and thrive.

The connection between a Veteran and their dog is powerful—and companies like Purina understand that. This week, Purina employees joined us on site at VCP to assemble doggie bags filled with pet essentials for Veterans like Tony and dogs like Reya. “It means a lot,” Tony says. “A lot of places don’t care about the pets. But here, and with support like this, we’re treated like a unit. That matters.”

When asked what he’d say to someone who doesn’t understand the role a pet plays in a Veteran’s recovery, Tony puts it simply:
“Would you deny a service member their family?” To that end, our policy at VCP to welcome pets has been an intentional choice and something that sets our organization apart from many others that serve people experiencing homelessness. Our founders learned early on that pets were often be a barrier to housing because many Veterans would choose to remain homeless rather than abandon them.

One of Tony’s proudest moments came during a visit to a horse ranch, where Reya—initially skittish—watched Tony interact with a horse named Gunner. “Once she saw me with the horse, she relaxed. That bond, that trust… it showed me how far we’ve come.”

At Veterans Community Project, we’re honored to walk alongside Tony and Reya on their path forward. And with partners like Purina standing beside us, we’re reminded that it takes a community to serve those who served us.