# Las Vegas Veteran Credits Service Dog Reagan, Liberty Dogs Program for Renewed Purpose

Source: https://dogfriendlylasvegas.com/dog-news/local-dog-news/las-vegas-veteran-credits-service-dog-reagan-liberty-dogs-program-for-renewed-purpose/
Published: 2026-11-11

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Former Army Sgt. Rich Earl was paired with Reagan, a two-year-old black Labrador retriever service dog, through the Liberty Dogs program.

 

Earl and Reagan are among the first four pairs to graduate from [Liberty Dogs’ pairing program](https://dogfriendlylasvegas.com/dog-news/local-dog-news/liberty-dogs-aims-to-match-200-veterans-a-year-with-service-dogs-from-its-new-reno-campus/), the [Las Vegas Sun](https://lasvegassun.com/news/2026/nov/11/a-las-vegas-veteran-struggles-with-ptsd-until-a-fo) reported.

 

The Reno-based nonprofit provides service dogs to veterans at no cost.

 

During two weeks of training at Liberty Dogs’ campus, Earl and Reagan learned 44 action cues together, including having Reagan watch his back.

 

“Now, I have purpose, motivation,” Earl said. “It’s like having a battle buddy for life, someone that’s always going to be there for you, always have your back.”

 

After joining the Army in 1989 at age 18, the veteran served multiple deployments and later faced post-traumatic stress disorder, back pain, cancer, and kidney disease.

 

The Liberty Dogs campus in Northern Nevada provides wellness classes and two-week pairing camps for veterans and their service dogs.

 

Liberty Dogs was established by the Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation. The organization covers expenses such as supplies and care for the veterans’ service dogs.

 

Ondra Berry, Liberty Dogs CEO and a retired Nevada Air National Guard major general, said the organization tries to remove all barriers that could prevent a veteran from accessing this form of mental health care through service animals.

 

Some Liberty Dogs service dogs learn cues such as performing weighted pressure during an anxiety attack, based on the needs of the individual veteran.

 

Liberty Dogs’ [placement process](https://www.libertydogs.org) begins with an application, background check, and home inspection.

 

Veterans then participate in a two-week training camp on campus, where they are paired with their service dog and receive training and supplies at no cost.

 

A [June 2024 national study](https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/service-dogs-may-reduce-ptsd-symptoms-military-members-veterans) found that veterans partnered with service dogs reported significantly lower symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and social isolation compared with veterans on waitlists.