Vietnam war long over, Army veteran finds four-legged battle buddy

Richard and Cinnamon 1

At the height of the Vietnam War in early 1968, Richard joined the Army. He joined because, quite simply, “Uncle Sam decided he wanted me.” He loved the opportunity to see different states, like Colorado, and meet different people. He valued the sense of camaraderie as well. “You took care of your buddy and your buddies took care of you.” Richard was scheduled for deployment to Vietnam, but there was an issue with his unit and he no longer had to go. He subsequently got injured and separated from the Army altogether. Without the camaraderie Richard so enjoyed while serving, he Continue reading …

Rescued adult dog saves Coast Guard veteran from depression

Charlotte and Al copy

A rescued dog always seems to know when it's been given another chance, and often returns the favor. This is the case with Charlotte, an adult dog who rescued her savior, a Coast Guard veteran, from the grips of his depression. Al is a Coast Guard veteran who was honorably adopted last June by Charlotte, a four year-old Pug-Beagle mix (“Puggle”), at Pets for Patriots' adoption partner Michigan Humane Society. An avid diver, Al joined the Coast Guard in the late 1970’s. When he decided to enlist, it was the lifesaving aspects of the job that attracted him to the Coast Guard. Among Continue reading …

The nose knows: how detector dogs work

ag sniffing beagle

It's all in the nose for detector dogs, but how they work and why they're so good at it are essential to the military, transportation and other sectors that must defend against unseen threats. Dogs, like humans, have an areas of the brain that processes all kinds of sensory input - sights, sounds, smells - but their noses are longer and more spacious, making them masters at inhaling odors. They have between 20 and 40 times more odor receptors in their snouts than people, which means that in most cases they can detect an odor at much lower concentrations than humans.  Detection dogs, Continue reading …

Pets for Patriots 9/11 Challenge

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Pets for Patriots is laying down the gauntlet with our first 9/11 Challenge: for 2,000 people to pledge $11 a month to support our troops and the influx of post-9/11 veterans entering our charitable program. More 9/11 veterans need a four-legged buddy Mario is a three-tour Iraq war veteran. After graduating high school in the wake of September 11th, he joined the Army because, in his own words, "I definitely wanted to do something and be a part of the military." During his third tour, he nearly died and was medically retired. Lost and depressed, Mario turned to Pets for Patriots for help Continue reading …

Captain Jack rules Army roost

Captain Jack (Jimmy)

In one Army home, a rescued dog named Captain Jack rules the roost with his calm demeanor and winning personality. His unlikely hero is an Army veteran who was never too excited about having dogs in the first place. Army takes teen recruit around the world At the age of 18, Agustin - who goes by Jimmy - joined the Army to strike out on his own and to care for his young family. But his military service left very little family time; he was deployed immediately after basic training, including to Bosnia and Korea on what he affectionately calls "an all expenses paid trip." Once his tour of duty Continue reading …

Navy gunner’s four-legged mate sweet as honey

Honey

One Navy gunner's mate found his own new mate: an ex-stray named Honey. This is his story as told by his wife, Heather. My husband Eddie is currently in the field and he's not much of a story teller, so I figured I would share our pet adoption story. A dog named Diesel makes a house a home Eddie has been in the military about 10 years and we have been married almost eight years. We also just bought our first house a little over a year ago and we are loving it. We waited many years to get a dog, and finally got one after Eddie was in a bad accident and had to get up and start walking again. Continue reading …

A letter of thanks for three lives transformed

Stephanie and Fly

This letter of thanks is from Stephanie, a Marine Corps veteran and Pets for Patriots member, to our founder and executive director, Beth Zimmerman. Sometimes all it takes is a dog to forever transform the lives of those around her.  Hi Beth, I know I've thanked you plenty over the phone, but wanted to write you so that anytime your job gets difficult you can read this and have some comfort in knowing that you've greatly affected three lives - [starting with] the life of our new dog, Fly, an eight month-old Border Collie that was rescued by your partner in Utah, Canines With a Continue reading …

Marine bulldog meets shelter hound dog

Sango and Eric

The English Bulldog became the Marine's unofficial mascot following World War I, after German reporters referred to Marines as Devil Dogs. This story, however, is about a real life Marine veteran and the hound dog whose life he saved. Tough guy with a kind heart Eric served eight years in the United States Marine Corps in field artillery, during which he served in California and Okinawa, Japan. Although tenacious and tough like all Marines, he had a soft spot for rescue dogs. "It's hard to just watch them with their big puppy eyes looking at you saying, "Take me home; I will be good." A Continue reading …

Navy retiree living the life of Riley

Riley and AJ

For one Navy retiree, the expression "living the life of Riley" is life imitating art, but with a twist. After traveling the world and then retiring from the Navy in 2010, AJ was happy to find a forever home for his family in an old farmstead in upstate New York. “I served for 22 years; retired as a Commander. My service experiences included tours on surface warships, in staff positions in Washington D.C., and an overseas tour in Cairo, Egypt.” That tour in Cairo proved to be AJ’s most memorable experience while serving in the Navy, as he took on the challenge of residing there Continue reading …

Tips to keep your pet safe on the Fourth of July

Dog Fourth of July

Before you throw another burger on the barbie, please heed a few important tips to keep your pet safe this Fourth of July holiday. Many of the festivities that people enjoy, such as outdoor parties and fireworks, pose real hazards for your pet. Help your pet beat the heat  Dogs are particularly vulnerable to heat stroke and should never be left outside in the hot weather for extended periods. Even for animals accustomed to spending a lot of time outdoors, fireworks and other loud noises can startle them, and cause them to break free of their enclosure in an effort to find safety. Leave Continue reading …

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