LIBERTY, North Carolina — Two alarming numbers drive the purpose behind an Alamance County nonprofit. A new study found that 44 veterans die by suicide every day. North Carolina ranks third in the United States for the number of dogs killed in shelters.
Charlie Mike works to reverse those numbers. The Liberty-based nonprofit rescues shelter dogs from around the country. The team often trains the dogs to work with veterans as therapy animals.
“Save a veteran. Save a dog. Continue the mission of life,” Sarima Gracia, Lead of Canine Operations, said. “It’s kind of a no-brainer.”
Gracia has seen the impact dogs can have on someone’s mental health. She and Dustin Gladwell have been in a relationship for nearly a decade. Gladwell, a 12-year US Army veteran, is the co-founder of Charlie Mike.
“A lot of times, it was just thinking or replaying or questioning or second guessing or wondering,” Gladwell said.
Gladwell said he struggled to fall and stay asleep after returning from his service. Gracia was fostering eight dogs when they met. She said he turned into a different person when he was around the dogs.
The relief was welcome for Gladwell. He said he went to the VA to seek out help for his struggles. A doctor gave him a prescription.
“Barely 36 hours later, I didn’t take those pills ever again,” Gladwell said.
Gladwell said his experience became another reason why he felt something like Charlie Mike should exist. Animal therapy eventually emerged as a possible solution.
His nonprofit already has a success story. Justin Lee served in the Marine Corps Marine Corps for five years. He is now one of the lead dog trainers at Charlie Mike and owns Charlie, the first dog that the nonprofit ever rescued.
“It’s been life-changing, if I’m saying the least, this past year,” Lee said. “I’ve had a lot of things going on in my life, but the one thing that’s been consistent is Charlie.”
Lee said once he started working with Charlie, he quickly realized how much he had suppressed inside. He described his brain as scattered and said he struggled to open up to people. He said he learned he could relate to Charlie’s experience as a shelter animal.
“I can take this dog that’s broken and that nobody wants and make him into something good,” Lee said. “I realized I could do that for myself as well.”
“He turned out to help me more than I really helped him,” Lee continued.
Gracia said the connection makes a lot of sense. She said she feels veterans are often cast aside, like shelter animals.
Before working with Charlie Mike, Lee served as a firefighter. He said he felt called to something bigger, and he found that with the nonprofit.
“I just want to help veterans overcome their fears, their problems, and their issues, just like I’ve encountered myself,” Lee said.
Gladwell said he’s happy with where things stand as Charlie Mike celebrates one year in existence. He said the need continues to be significant, so his resolve to serve others remains the same.
“We can’t see the trauma,” Gladwell said. “You can’t see our injuries. We call them the unseen wounds of combat.”
Gracia said the shelter rescued 26 dogs in year one, and 20 of them now have permanent homes. She’d like to see that number double.
The team at Charlie Mike is already working on building an indoor kennel, so it has the resources to accommodate more animals.