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The smart and intuitive German shepherd died on February 4. A few months shy of 9 years old, she became an ambassador for service dogs and veterans’ mental health across the U.S.
He explained that the only thing that Kaya was trained to do was wake him up from nightmares when he had an anxiety attack. The interventions help you to calm down and breaks the snowball effect of anger, depression, sadness, whatever it is, he said.
“She was an extremely smart dog, even from the very beginning,” Lyle said. It only took me a day to potty train her. And she was always very intuitive.”
The PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act: How Kaya and I decided to Stop Talking to the Doctor. What did Kaya Tell Me About Veterans Therapy?
Congress signed into law the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act in 2021 after he advocated for it. A law requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to create a five-year program to train service dogs for veterans.
“If it wasn’t for me, I wouldn’t be doing what I do now,” he said. “I didn’t ever really intend to get involved in veteran advocacy. With Kaya, and coming up here, I just saw a need that needed to be filled. No one was filling it.
Lyle noticed an abnormal growth on her front leg around Christmas time last year. The discovery, and further medical testing, led to a cancer diagnosis. Lyle learned that even medical intervention, including radiation therapy, could only prolong her life for a few more months.
He wanted her to be well and didn’t want her to be stressed going to veterinary appointments. “So I made the excruciating decision to take her home.”
A Memorino from a Close Family Member: Lyle Flew to Houston, Texas, after Her First Year at A&M University
Lyle flew Kaya back to her home state of Texas, where the two met. While on the plane, a Southwest Airlines pilot shared Kaya’s story with the rest of the passengers, who broke into applause. When the pair left the plane, the entire terminal also cheered for her.
“I certainly had no idea the extent to which it would resonate with people, and that people would want to be supportive,” he said. I wanted to honor her in her last few days, because she has done so much for me and for veterans across the country, and the people that took good care of her made her feel comfortable.
After spending time with friends and family at a local Dallas pub, Lyle drove Kaya to several of her favorite places in the area, including Texas A&M University, where he graduated. They spent their final few hours together by a pond that had been a favorite study spot of his.
He told her how much he loved her and how much he loved her. I wanted her to be happy and comfortable in the last few hours.
Marine Corps Veteran Kaya: PTSD Preparation and Treatment, and How Service Dogs Help to Prevent and Prevent Self-harm
Lyle joined the Marine Corps after graduating high school and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2011. He told CNN that he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder shortly after returning from deployment. The treatment methods he was provided did not work for him. And a divorce and joblessness exacerbated his mental health challenges.
He said the United States Department of Veterans Affairs didn’t provide funding forPTSD service dogs at the time, so he spent $10,000 of his own money adopting and training Kaya. He explained that although there are non-profits that provide veterans with service dogs, many of them have wait times of over a year.
Lyle said that in addition to performing specialized tasks, service dogs also act as “an extraordinarily powerful backstop to veteran suicide.” Caring for the dog can help “provide a sense of purpose.”
Lyle described Kaya as “a consummate professional” when she was working. But when her working vest came off, “she was a little diva” who loved to play, he said.