I’ve made no secret how devoted I am to helping the cause of animal shelters. I only adopt pets from shelters, and I’m active in my local rescue. Not only do I want to promote support of shelters and rescues, I want to put a focus on unique rescues meant to serve a specific need.
In this case, to celebrate its recent Texas debut, I want to draw attention to the animal nonprofit Pets for Patriots. Pets for Patriots, according to its recent release on free press release site PR*Urgent, is a nonprofit dedicated to bringing the love and affection of pets to the country’s service men and women. Pets for Patriots specializes in doing so for homeless adult pets and wounded soldiers.
PFP is a partner with both the Real Warriors Campaign, whose goal is to help combat veterans both treat and reduce the stigma of PTSD and other psychological trauma, and the Army’s AW2 Wounded Warrior Program. PFP dedicates its time to bringing together homeless pets, especially special needs ones who are often misunderstood and looked over, and soldiers who could benefit from those pets’ unconditional companionship and love.
Pets for Patriots connects with local shelters and rescues to expand its network. The nonprofit doesn’t actually have any pets of its own in a shelter at its headquarters; instead, its employees contact local shelters and set up programs within those shelters. PFP especially helps shelters find homes for their hard-to-place pets.
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“Our goal is to accelerate the adoption of harder-to-place pets that still have years of love and life to give,” says the founder of Pets for Patriots, Beth Zimmerman. “Working with not-for-profit animal welfare organizations and veterinarians in the community, we can get these animals rehomed in a sustainable way, to the benefit of pet and person…Our program is ideal for a wounded soldier who doesn’t qualify for a service animal, but would benefit from a pet friend. As well as [for] veterans who might simply enjoy the friendship and company of a dog or cat.”
In addition to providing special services to help match the perfect pet with its ideal family, Pets for Patriots tries to work within local communities to provide additional services to the veterans with which it works, helping to make pet ownership more affordable. For example, Pets for Patriots recently launched in Texas, setting up a network with local shelters and veterinarians in Bastrop.
Soldiers/veterans who adopt pets from the PFP program in town will receive from the Bastrop Veterinary Hospital a minimum of a 10% discount on all of the pet’s vet bills for its entire life. That is just one instance of the type of additional services PFP extends to veterans and their families.
If you’d like more information on Pets for Patriots, especially to see if you or a family member is eligible for their services, visit their web site here.
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Assistance Dogs of the West and The Lessons They Teach
*(This image by soldiersmediacenter is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.)
