TAMPA, Fla. — A Bay area woman has made it her mission to award puppies to veterans suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder through her nonprofit Americas K-9 Rescue.

According to the U.S. Veterans Affairs, about 7% of veterans experience PTSD in their life.

Brianna Holzerland is creating a mini-series for the Discovery Channel to share those veterans’ stories.

Daashia Cochran was the first veteran to be awarded a dog through Holzerland’s nonprofit, and she said the unconditional love from her Belgian Malinois has gotten her through some rough times.

“It feels like the whole world is crashing down sometimes, and the thoughts about everything can be overwhelming. It’s hard to chase those feelings away, but when you can instantly receive love and confirmation that you’re going to be OK, when you recognize that there are important things in this world — it can ground you quickly,” Cochran said. “I feel like dogs heal so much for us. They represent unconditional love.”

Researchers found service dogs helped lowered the severity of PTSD among veterans within three months.

“The simple things such as feeding the dogs, giving water to the dog, walking the dog, that makes a difference in someone’s life,” Holzerland said.

So far, Holzerland has awarded 11 dogs to veterans across the country. She expects her Discovery Channel program to be finished later this year. 

To nominate a veteran, email a video or written description explaining why this candidate would be the best choice to HolzerlandProtectionDogs@gmail.com.

The recipient must be a veteran of the U.S. Armed forces and have experience with Dutch shepherds, Belgian Malinois or German shepherds.

The deadline is Nov. 30.