Milo and me
O cial badge ceremony held in Truro
Ron Wray, who suffers from PTSD, is enjoying life much more now that he’s been partnered up with Milo.
Jacket o , Milo is your average, fun-loving 14-month-old German shepherd.
Jacket on, he’s all business. New Glasgow resident Ron Wray suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from his time in the military, has severe arthritis which impacts his mobility and also has diabetes. But since Milo came into his life a few weeks ago, he has someone to help with those issues.
Last year, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 26 in Truro contributed $10,000 from its poppy fund to purchase and train the PTSD service dog specifically for Milo.
“We had enough money that we could afford to do it,” said branch president Gerry Tucker. “It just shows that we’re using the money from the poppy fund that everybody buys poppies for, to do things like this.”
Milo was purchased through an international group called Paws Fur Thought, which pairs and trains dogs specifically for veterans and rst responders su ering from PTSD. Although they have only been paired for several weeks, Milo is already making a di erence in Wray’s life.
Within their first two weeks together, Milo has alerted him twice that his sugars were low. Milo can detect this by licking Wray’s hand or smelling his breath.
“The first time it happened I was actually still in bed and he woke me up from a dead sleep. My sugars were down to 2.6,” Wray said.
If Wray is having trouble getting up because of his arthritis, Milo, who wears a special harness, is trained to come to him to allow the veteran to pull himself up.
For his PTSD symptoms, Milo provides comfort and security.
“A couple of the biggest issues for me is going out in public. I don’t do that well. I don’t do nighttime and dark,” Wray said.
A special ceremony was held at the Truro legion so Milo could officially receive his Branch 26 badge. e process of pairing the two began almost two and a half years ago – over a year before Milo was even born.
Tucker said Wray was the only veteran within the region identified as a PTSD sufferer who could bene t from the companionship of a specialized service dog.
In his first six months, Milo received basic training from a jail inmate, through a program in Kansas. After that came six months in a foster home, then on to the CARES training facility for more specific training.
Wray ew to Kansas and spent a week with Milo, around the clock.
“First thing Monday morning you get introduced to your dog and the training starts. e dog stays with you the whole week.”
As the week progressed, he saw the personality come out and a bond began to develop.
Now home, Wray said he’s trying to nd a balance of when to have Milo on and off duty.
"They give you so much and they ask for so little.”
The Trenton Legion, where Wray is a member, also contributed by providing money to help cover kennel and veterinary costs.
And Wray hopes by telling his story other veterans who have PTSD or other disabilities will be encouraged to reach out to their local legion or Paws Fur ought to nd out more.
The program is run by volunteers and operates with donations. e Royal Canadian Legion as one of its biggest contributors.
Over the past ve years, Tucker said, legions across the country have matched 110 dogs with veterans su ering from PTSD and overall have contracted for 12 more dogs in 2019.
And the Truro branch has already set aside $13,000 to purchase another dog next year.
“It’s kind of mind blowing, the whole thing,” Wray said.