Meet the service dogs that turn on lights and open doors 4:05
Editor's Note:
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or mental health issues, call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in the United States, or visit the hotline's website.
(CNN) --
Kaya, a service dog who served as a beloved ambassador for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment and veterans' health, has died, according to her owner.
The 8-year-old German shepherd was euthanized on February 4 after being diagnosed with cancer, her keeper Cole Lyle told CNN in an interview.
Kaya supported Lyle as he advocated to Congress for better access to service dogs for veterans.
Lyle joined the Marine Corps after graduating high school and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2011. He told CNN he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder shortly after returning from deployment.
But the treatment methods prescribed to him did not work.
And a divorce and unemployment exacerbated his mental health problems.
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“I was really at a very low point in my life and almost became a veteran suicide statistic,” he said.
How service dogs protect us, deepen relationships and save us from ourselves
But inspired by a friend who had a service dog, he found one of his own and adopted Kaya in Dallas, Texas.
Lyle explained that Kaya was specifically trained to help him with his PTSD symptoms, such as waking him up from nightmares or licking his face when he was having an anxiety attack.
The interventions “help you calm down and break the snowball effect of anger, depression, sadness, whatever,” he said.
At the time, he said, the US Department of Veterans Affairs did not provide funding for service dogs with PTSD, so he spent $10,000 of his own money to adopt and train Kaya.
He explained that while there are nonprofit organizations that provide service dogs to veterans, many of them have wait times of more than a year.
Walking through her own community, Kaya was a conversation starter.
Lyle explained to curious neighbors why she had a service dog and why dogs can be so beneficial to veterans' mental health.
Eventually, these conversations led him to write and advocate before Congress for the PAWS Veterans Therapy Act, which was signed into law in 2021. The law requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to implement a five-year pilot program to provide training to service dogs for veterans with PTSD.
Lyle said that in addition to performing specialized tasks, service dogs also act as "an extraordinarily powerful support for veteran suicide."
Caring for the dog can help "provide a sense of purpose."
“It's a very powerful support when someone is feeling lonely or depressed,” he said.
Rest in peace, Kaya.
Cheers to a life well-lived and loved.
Miss you already, baby girl.
My heart is broken and I'm numb without you.
But it's gladdened because you're no longer in pain.
Thank you for epitomizing “Semper Fidelis.”
pic.twitter.com/uG98dKEj4d
— Cole T. Lyle (@ctlyle1) February 4, 2023
An emotional last flight home
A heartwarming video of Kaya's last flight to Dallas went viral this week after Lyle posted it on his own social media.
Lyle explained to CNN that he was diagnosed with cancer over Christmas and made the decision to take her for the last time to Texas, where he was born and where they spent years while he studied at Texas A&M University.
A friend who works at Southwest Airlines helped coordinate the flight and got Kaya safely and comfortably onto the plane in a cart.
Once on board, staff made an announcement over the intercom explaining Kaya's story and encouraging passengers to "show her some love" on her last flight.
When Lyle and Kaya disembarked from the flight, "hundreds of people were cheering and clapping and saying 'welcome home' and 'thank you for your service,'" Lyle said.
“It was really an extraordinary moment.”
He said he had "no idea it would go as viral as it did."
"But I'm glad he did, because Kaya's life and legacy deserve to be shared and honored."
Lyle described Kaya as "the consummate professional" when she was in the service.
But when she took off her work vest, she "was a little diva" who loved to play, she said.
“What made her so extraordinary is that even before she was trained, she was very smart,” he said.
"She was such an intuitive bitch."
Several politicians, including Kevin McCarthy and Ron DeSantis, posted tributes to Kaya on social media after her death.
Lyle said he hopes that even after his death, Kaya's legacy can continue to fuel efforts to connect veterans with service dogs.
“Service dogs can save lives,” she said.
“I can't tell you how many veterans have messaged and contacted me in years past and even now and said, 'You know, Kaya inspired me to get my own dog, because I saw you talk about how powerful she was for you. , and if I hadn't done that, I would have killed myself.'
And I think that's Kaya's deepest and most powerful legacy."
War veterans