Chief executive officer and co-founder of PTSD Dogs Australia Angie Weeks has been honored, winning the 2023 Prime Minister’s National Veterans’ Employment Award in the category of Partner Entrepreneur of the Year.
The winners of the 2023 awards were announced by the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Veterans’ Affairs Minister Matt Keogh on 13 September at an event in Canberra.
The awards are a platform to highlight the remarkable skills and abilities in the veteran community, both as employees and entrepreneurs. The awards also acknowledge organisations that actively recruit, employ and support veterans and their families in the civilian workforce.
Angie and her husband Roger Weeks along with accountant Julie Morrission and barrister Pattifield co-founded PTSD Dogs Australia as a non-profit organisation that rescues, trains and provides at no cost, service dogs for veterans and first responders suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
In the five years since the organisation was established, Angie has trained more than 30 assistance dogs for veterans and first responders suffering from PTSD.
“This is such an honour to be recognised for the work we do. It is so rewarding to see the transformative effects that the dogs have for their handlers. Reducing anxiety and depression and improving the overall quality of life of veterans and the positive impact that the dogs have had on their families, helping them to reconnect and improve their relationships,” said Angie Weeks.
The fantastic work by PTSD Dogs Australia is done nearly entirely by volunteers and is funded entirely by donations, sponsorships and grants. If you’d like to support the organisation, go to ptsddogs.org.au
