DENVER (KDVR) — For 25 years following one veteran's service, he struggled with PTSD and his mental health, and decided a change had to happen. That change came with fur and four paws.

“Like a typical veteran, I thought I could handle my post-traumatic stress disorder and the traumas I had from my time in the military," Veteran Douglas Norvell told FOX31.

FOX31 sat down with Norvell, who served 24 years in the Special Forces/Special Operations branch of the Army. He enlisted when he was just 17 years old.

“I knew I was in danger of becoming one of those statistics with veterans that you hear of," Norvell said. "Especially at my age."

That is when he turned to K9s For Warriors.

“It only provides dogs to veterans who have PTSD, traumatic brain injury or military sexual trauma,” Norvell said. "They've had over 1,000 dogs given to warriors over the years."

So, Norvell put himself on a waiting list to receive one of the trained service dogs, and while he waited, he moved his life to Jacksonville, Florida, to become a volunteer. He said on average, it takes one to two years for a veteran to receive their dog.

“When it came time for me to get my service dog, they gave me Geneve," Norvell said.

Credit: FOX31/Channel 2

Geneve is a black lab with a great strut and a friendly personality, but constantly keeps all eyes on Norvell.

“Personally, I had a lot of moral injury trauma during my time in the military, I didn't feel like I was worthy of self-love or self-compassion for the things I was involved with or had done," Norvell said. "She (Geneve) gives me that constant self-love unconditionally."

The dogs trained at K9s for Warriors either come donated as a puppy from a litter or are pulled from a shelter.

"Roughly 20 veterans die by suicide every day, and over 1,000 dogs are euthanized," according to the organization's website. "K9s For Warriors exists because of a fierce dedication to saving the lives of both Veterans and rescue dogs."

The dogs train full-time with volunteers for 16 to 18 months before they are placed with a veteran. From there, the organization provides a lifetime of support for the dogs and their veterans.

“We're saving lives at both ends of the leash," Norvell said. "Not only are they saving the veterans' lives, but also the dogs' lives by taking the dogs out of the shelters."

One of the things they learn is to put pressure on their veteran during a stressful moment to help distract them from what is going on or what thoughts they might be having.

“It's life-changing," Norvell said. "You don't know it until it happens."

K9s For Warriors relies on donations and volunteers. If you'd like to help, you can donate or volunteer.