KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — On Saturday, nine service animals graduated from their training to start their working careers.
Local nonprofit Paws & Badges held an "Exchanging of the Leash" ceremony for those grateful recipients of the dogs.
"How many people we can save with four paws and fur... what I did today is gave nine people hope that their life is not over," Michael Bartleson, founder of Paws & Badges Inc., said.
Recipients of the newly graduated service animals said there's nothing that can replace what these dogs do for them.
"I mean, a dog can change your life," Deborah Fetty, U.S. Air Force veteran, said. "I don't mean to get all weepy about it and stuff, but she has."
Military veterans like Deborah Fetty and Aaron Burgio struggled with mental health, which led them to acquire their service dogs.
"Seeing them up on the stage and going through and... seeing the patch come across him as a service dog, it's just, it's a great experience," Burgio, U.S. Marine Corps veteran, said.
According to Veterans Affairs, having a service dog can lead to a reduction in the severity of PTSD symptoms.
"Anybody can live with PTSD, the biggest thing is first, admit it, talk to someone about it," Bartleson said.
The experience of healing through a service dog is something that Bartleson said medicine just can't reach.
"You can't go to Walgreens or CVS and get what we just graduated today," he said. "No doctor can write that prescription but I can fill it."
Their new owners recognized the hard work their furry companions put in.
"She deserves it," Fetty said. "She's worked very hard for it and I have too."
Recipients are now excited to take on the world with their dogs by their side.
"Going where there's crowds of people, it just, I've never been super comfortable in positions like that," Burgio said. "But now knowing that I have Zeus there with me, I can handle going out downtown and I can handle, you know, going out to these busy restaurants and going shopping with my wife at these busy stores."