On Sept. 11, we also remember Axel, the first service dog of Leashes of Valor founder Jason Haag. Haag, a retired Marine Corps captain often speaks about how Axel helped him cope with the invisible wounds of war and the memories tied to the war on terror.
The experience was life-changing, he says, giving him a path toward healing when few others seemed available. In 2017, Haag founded Leashes of Valor to extend that lifeline to other post-9/11 veterans.
The nonprofit now provides highly trained service dogs at no cost to veterans struggling with PTSD and traumatic brain injuries.
Axel’s is buried at Leashes of Valor headquarters near Chancellorsville in Spotsylvania.
