Jeff Hinch came out to The Valley in 1998 and he hasn’t left since.

Prior to that Jeff did four tours of duty which took him to Bosnia once and three times to Afghanistan. There came a point when he just didn’t feel right, as he puts it. After leaving the military a cycle of behaviour began that he new was not healthy:

Among the many afflictions Jeff was dealing with is what it called “survivor’s guilt” and he dealt with the suicides of seven comrades within seven years. Things were bleak. Right around this time a friend of his took on a companion that made Jeff start to take new notice:

Jeff decided that this was just the thing to help him through his experience and he knew that it would be a catalyst to others in his circle so Fire Team K9 Service Dogs was born. Dogs were the ideal choice, according to Jeff, for reasons that many of us wouldn’t know or understand except for those who are very close to their pets as he explains:

Teaching is a part of Jeff’s former life that he missed most, he says, and now he gets a chance to teach both dogs and humans to interact with one another in such a meaningful way.

The easiest way to get involved with Fire Team K9 initially is to become a foster, according to Hinch. The more time spent with an animal the greater the bond and that’s the healing element. Jeff says that as the organization grows they will need more trainers who are skilled with not only dogs but human minds as well.

For more information on Fire Team K9 Service Dogs click on the link below.

https://www.facebook.com/FTK9ServiceDogs/