Dogs Inc. pairs veteran with service dog

As we continue to recognize our veterans all month long, tonight we want to tell you about Rachel Hughes. For most of her adult life, she was the one looking out for everyone else. She served her country, served her community, then spent years in jobs that required her to always be ready. Well now, after decades of service, help finally arrived on four paws. The first time Rachel Hughes met Biner, there wasn't much needed for an introduction. When that dog came jumping in And came to me. I melted. Came to me, was heads on laps, I was hugging, he was licking, he was kissing me. It looked like love at first sight. But to understand what this moment meant, you've got to understand the life Rachel lived before it. She joined the United States Army at 18. She'd eventually spend 22 years in the military, working as a military police officer, investigator, and a CID agent. After 9-11, she specialized in counterterrorism and force protection, spending much of her time on missions in the Middle East. I've spent my entire life for my family, my community, and my country. It's a cost I'll always live with inside, but it's a cost that I'm very proud of. Then at home, she also built a 28-year career with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. Patrol, narcotics, robbery, homicides, supervision. Two careers built around staying alert and eventually that became hard to turn off. I always felt like I was on high alert and working. It was very hard to calm down, to relax, to just sit and do nothing because your mind is constantly thinking about okay what's the next mission going to be. After Rachel retired, the VA connected her with a therapist who suggested a service dog. Rachel wasn't convinced but she applied to Dogs, Inc. anyway. About a year later, Biner ran through that door. And I was very skeptical, hesitant. I never thought a dog could change your life. Two years later, she doesn't question it. I don't have to cry. I don't have to say anything. I can just look, and Biner will be sitting there looking at me. What would I ever do without you, huh? And he'll know. He just knows if something's wrong. Beiner is trained to read her, to interrupt behaviors, and help ground her when the instincts built over decades of service take over. But sometimes this important job is much simpler. Good boy. Here you go. Beiner needs exercise, so we go for walks. I'm going to show you how it works. He loves to play, so I get to get out and play with Beiner. Come. That's fun. That'll make me laugh. He does goofy stuff. He's a mama's good boy. For a woman who's spent a lifetime serving others, Biner's given her something she didn't always give herself, permission to slow down and someone who never asks her to explain. He doesn't care about my past and about all the missions and all the work in law enforcement, all the ugly things that I've had to see in life. Biner doesn't care about that. Biner loves me unconditionally. Rachel says service has always been part of who she is. The cost of it is something she still carries. Now she doesn't have to carry it all alone. I cannot see my life without Biner being in it, and I hope I don't have to. Well, Dogs, Inc. provides specially trained dogs, service dogs to veterans and others with special needs. And Rachel says she's hopeful that other veterans who may need that help will at least consider reaching out.