Ariel

Ariel served 124 days in military reserve duty in Gaza following the 7th October and came back a changed man, deeply traumatised by what he experienced. The PTSD symptoms were all there, raw, painful – nightmares, panic attacks, flashbacks. In May 2025 he was paired with Otis.

“My life is split into two – before the war and after. Without Otis and with Otis. It’s like I’ve been reborn, and there’s a new Ariel that has to learn again how to live and be independent. But I have to do this not as a child, but as a supposedly functioning adult, a father responsible for two children. 

“Otis is with me every step of the way. Only with Otis do I feel confident to leave the house. I get triggered by loud noises and crowded places, which in Israel are quite common. But Otis is super sensitive and I trust him to notice even the tiniest hint of a panic attack, long before anyone realises. 

“The stronger our bond gets, the quicker he reacts. Now I think he can just smell it, before there are any visible physical symptoms. He will first make eye contact, and then nudge me with his snout or butt me gently with his head, to snap me out of it before a panic attack escalates. If necessary, he will climb on me, put his body weight to create a pressure point. It’s like he’s saying, ‘wait, stop, you’re not where you think you are. I’m here for you’.”

RAISING DOGS, RAISING STANDARDS

Ariel has been advocating in the Israeli media for the right of access for Service Dogs in public spaces. 

Persistent lobbying by the team at the Israel Guide Dog Centre which clients also supported, led to successful legislation in 2023. But still many businesses remain unaware of their duty to grant access to any person with a Service Dog. 

“Exposing my trauma in public and arguing for my rights is hard, but Otis is crucial for me to be able to lead a full normal life. So I speak up. For me, and for my brothers and sisters in arms.”