Pets are property

In the eyes of the law pets are property. But ask any pet guardian – otherwise known as a pet  owner – if Fido or Fluffy is on equal footing with their other possessions and most will say ‘no.’ Increasingly, dogs, cats and other companion animals are the subject of bitter custody fights when couples divorce, and are gaining the upper paw when it comes to estate planning.

While the law classifies pets as property, it does recognize that they’re qualitatively different than, say, a sofa or nightstand or the ’69 Camaro you painstakingly restored. In fact, it’s a crime in all 50 states to abandon an animal, an issue brought into sharp and painful relief during the ongoing home foreclosure crisis. Many animals die when once-responsible owners feel they have no choice but to abandon their pets, falsely assuming that someone from the bank will quickly come to their animals’ rescue. Rarely is this the case and a once-beloved family member is literally left to die.

Excluding pets abandoned by their owners, it’s estimated that 400,000 pets each year become homeless when their owners die. Without a plan for their ongoing care most will end up in shelters, where the statistics are not in their favor – especially if they are older, disabled or have other special needs. At Pets for Patriots, we’re proud that our program focuses on the needs of adult and other at-risk dogs and cats; many veterans in our program end up adopting an animal surrendered by a family or individual in financial distress.

Types of pet trusts

It’s important to have a written, legal document detailing your specific wishes regarding your pet’s care.

All states honor traditional trusts, which require you to choose a trustee who will pay your designated beneficiary as long as he or she cares for your pet. A simpler plan, known as a statutory trust, follows your state’s laws in how the pet trust is executed. Currently, such trusts are authorized in 46 states and the District of Columbia.

Either type of trust can be a living trust, which is immediately effective and in force while you are alive, or a testamentary trust that is in effect after you die. Although the living trust can cost up to several thousand dollars to set up, it offers more protection if you are disabled, hospitalized or otherwise unable to care for your pet for an extended period of time.

As with any legal matter, consult an attorney to determine the type of trust that best suits your needs. 

Planning for the unexpected

Your demise isn’t the only reason to have a pet care plan. Imagine you are hospitalized, become incapacitated or disabled, or separated from your pet due to a natural or other disaster. Who will take care of your pet and how will they know what to do, for example: how to contact your veterinarian, whether your pet is taking medication or requires other vital treatment, like a special diet? These are just a few of the many issues that need to be addressed in any pet care plan. Equally important is what you don’t want to happen to your pet, e.g., do not place in a family with small children or in a multi-pet household.

The Humane Society of the United States provides a free information guide on the essentials of a good pet plan. Additional tips on how to include animals in your will is available from the Animal Legal Defense Fund as well as the American Bar Association. 

Choosing a pet guardian

Perhaps the most important decision you can make is choosing who will take care of your pet if you’re unable to do so as a result of injury, disability or even death. This is the person who will interact every day with your dog or cat, and should be someone who is familiar with your pet, able and willing to care for it, and who can be trusted to execute your wishes concerning your pet’s care. If no one is available to undertake this responsibility contact area rescues, sanctuaries or animal welfare organizations to ask about arrangements for them to serve as your pet’s guardian.

Most important, don’t leave your pet’s guardian to chance or assume that someone in your family will be the best choice for this critical role. Animals grieve; your pet will be distressed by your absence and deserves to be cared for by someone who is truly up to the task.

How are you planning for your pet’s future care?

Vietnam veteran finally gets a ‘thank you’

Bob is a Vietnam Army veteran who served during a period in our nation’s history when veterans symbolized a deeply unpopular war. There were no parades, no jubilant welcomes home, no thanks for a job well done. Their return was unceremonious at best and acrimonious at worst.

Decades later, that was about to change when Bob walked into a Michigan pet store to look at the dogs available for adoption through the Michigan Humane Society (MHS). One six year-old rat terrier named Beau caught his eye, but Bob was concerned that pet ownership was beyond his means.

Fortunately an MHS adoption counselor introduced Bob to Pets for Patriots, through which MHS offers deeply discounted adoption rates and ongoing, reduced cost veterinary care for the life of any eligible adopted pet. As an adult dog, Beau fit one of the criteria for a Pets for Patriots adoption, which includes adult and special needs pets, as well as large dogs.

The rest, as they say, is history.

“He’s terrific. This dog is the best dog I ever had,” Bob says. ”I’m happy that I have him because he brings new life to me. It’s happiness. We’re having a lot of fun together.”

Bob is very emotional when he speaks about the little dog that brought so much joy into his life. For the first time in decades, he felt that he was appreciated for his service; someone was saying “thank you” by helping him bring a new best friend into his life.

Video courtesy of the Michigan Humane Society, all rights reserved.

A tragic year and a partly ‘empty nest’

Michael is an active duty Navy Hospital Corpsman who endured a year of personal tragedies, including the deaths of his grandmother and stepfather. Divorced, he felt sad and alone during the off-weeks when he didn’t have custody of his 14 year-old son; he imagined that this is what it’s like to be an empty nester. Then, the idea struck:

“Maybe if I got a dog,” he says.

Michael visited local pet stores that charged $1,000 or more for a “puppy mill dog,” and knew on the spot that he had to adopt, not shop, for his new pet friend. Searching online, he found Mario and Kona’s story  about a three-tour Iraq veteran who saved – and was saved – by an injured dog, and learned about the Pets for Patriots program that places last-chance dogs and cats.

“For someone to go out of their way to place harder-to-adopt animals, that meant something to me.”

After visiting all of the MHS locations, Michael found Paco at their Detroit shelter. He was so enamored of this four year-old stray that he rushed to the shelter during his lunch hour to adopt Paco, all the time worrying that the beautiful little Pomeranian would be gone. 

“Everywhere I go everyone is immediately attracted to Paco,” says Michael. ”I hit the shelter dog jackpot.”

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How has an adopted shelter pet changed your life for the better?

Average annual pet care costs

Whether you already have a pet or are thinking about getting one, it’s important to add pet care as a line item in your family budget. While costs vary by species, breed, size, age, overall health, region of the country and other factors, average annual pet care costs range from $1,1314-$1,843 for dogs and $1,035 for cats. Veterinary-related expenses – including spay/neuter surgery, routine medical care, pet health insurance and miscellaneous medical needs – comprise anywhere between 42%-53% of the total annual budget for dogs and a whopping 59% for cats. 

Research pet costs in your area, including the big-ticket items like veterinary services and pet food, and adjust your budget to better reflect the going rates in your particular community.

Tip: Multiply your total annual pet care budget by at least 10% to leave room for unexpected expenses and flexibility in how you spend your pet care dollars.

Military discounts for pet insurance

You can buy pet health insurance for Fido and Fluffy to help defray the costs of both routine and ‘unexpected’ visits to the veterinarian, including emergency and surgical care. According to the ASPCA, annual pet insurance costs average $225 for dogs and $175 for cats, but your plan will vary based upon the specific types of protection you want for your pet. Many pet health insurance companies offer a military discount, but they are often unpublished and available only if you speak with an agent and specifically request it. Some companies publish military and other discounts directly on their site, and offer reductions for multiple pets, animals that are microchipped or for applying online.

Tip: Call pet insurance companies to ask whether they have a military discount and how you can get it. Many don’t publish these rates or include it as an option in their online applications.

Financial assistance with veterinary bills

Sometimes the best planning doesn’t survive a large, unexpected veterinary bill or a short-term financial hardship. Fortunately there is help:

1. On-base veterinary clinics: Most military bases that have a veterinary clinic for military working dogs offer low-cost medical care to service members’ pets. Typically this includes wellness exams, vaccinations and even spay/neuter surgery, but check with your base veterinarian for details and pricing. You will likely need an off-base veterinarian for specialty care, but sticking with the on-base clinic for most of your pet’s medical needs can save you a bundle.
2. AAHA Helping Pets Fund: Grant-based program providing assistance for both emergency and non-elective treatment of both abandoned pets and those whose owners are experiencing financial hardship. You can use their online search tool to find an AAHA-accredited veterinary hospital near you.
3. Help-A-Pet: Provides nationwide financial assistance for owners who are unable to afford their pets’ medical care. Applicants must provide proof of income and have annual income below $20k for an individual or $40k for a family household to submit an application.
4. The Pet Fund: Focused on providing financial aid to owners in need of non-emergency assistance with veterinary bills. Individuals must first contact the Fund by phone before submitting their application. 
5. Trio Animal Foundation: Assists shelter and rescues with the costs of homeless pet care, as well as individuals experiencing financial hardship. 
6. Red Rover: Offers a range of both information and grant programs to help animals affected by natural disaster, domestic violence or their owners’ financial hardship. Red Rover provides a nationwide listing of organizations that offer financial assistance for veterinary care, organized by state, disease, breed and other relevant factors.
7. Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance: As the name suggests, this organization is dedicated to cat owners who are unable to afford necessary, life-saving veterinary care.

Tip: Ask your veterinarian if s/he offers a military or veteran discount at your first visit. Many practices do, even if they don’t publicize it.

Have a pet plan

In the end, your biggest cost-savings tool will be a pet plan. This includes budgeting to reflect your lifestyle, specific pet’s needs and local costs of living, as well as a rainy day fund for unexpected expenses or emergency care.  

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How do you save money on your pet’s medical care?

BSL originated in the 1980s, with pit bulls as the primary target. As the result of serious and even occasionally fatal dog attacks, BSL swept the nation, infiltrating communities that felt compelled to regulate ownership of entire categories of dogs perceived as “dangerous.” More recently, BSL is affecting military families – and pit bulls aren’t the only type of dog landing on the “not wanted” list.

In fact, there is no single breed known as a “pit bull;” it is a commonly used term to describe a range of animals, including American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers and other breeds and breed mixes.

In 2009, the Department of the Army detailed a new policy for military families living on-base. The memo aimed to create uniform rules across Army bases and make moving for military families easier. Breeds deemed “aggressive or potentially aggressive” were forbidden, and the list extended beyond the much-maligned pit bull.

One of the only solutions for military families with a banned breed is off-base housing. A family living on-base with a banned breed may be grandfathered in, but they cannot take their pet with them if they relocate to another base that bans its breed. And while many families live off-base to avoid the base ban, municipalities are increasingly enacting BSL. Families are then forced to surrender their dogs, often to shelters already overflowing with “forbidden” pets who have almost no chance of adoption.

In a recent and widely reported story, MLB pitcher Mark Buehrle moved his family from Miami-Dade county rather than surrender his dog, Slater, who was subject to the county’s breed ban. Of course, most people can’t just pick up and move quite so easily, but the loss of a resident with a $58M, four-year contract no doubt caught the attention of Miami-Dade authorities. 

To animal and anti-cruelty advocates, BSL is often seen as an impulsive reaction by politicians to show that they are doing something after a dog attack occurs in their community. Yet the problem really begins not with the pet, but with people.

Currently, there is a lack of regulation in dog breeding, placing overbred animals into the hands of irresponsible pet owners. Most aggressive dogs are a product of their owners: a dog who is bred illegally can lack proper training and socialization, increasing the chance that it will bite someone out of fear or anxiety. The offending dog is often confiscated and put to death. 

Reckless breeding isn’t the only issue, however. Dog fighting remains a disgraceful “sport” in spite of being illegal in all 50 states. Animals raised to fight, including those used as bait dogs, are innocent victims of criminal behavior. Yet, they are the ones to suffer horrific abuse and, often, death. Those that are rescued and, if possible, rehabilitated, often have lifelong emotional scars.

In addition, banned breeds aren’t the only animals to occasionally attack, suggesting that breed specific legislation is, perhaps, too breed specific. According to the American Humane Association, no less than 25 dog breeds were involved in 238 bite-related fatalities in the United States.

Many proponents of BSL believe legislation should focus less on breed and more on behavior. The ASPCA advocates for breed-neutral laws, and cities like Toledo, Ohio and Calgary, Canada are implementing legislation that holds the owner accountable on an incident-by-incident basis. In addition, the American Kennel Club (AKC) is working to enforce non-breed specific dangerous dog ordinances.

Animals impacted by BSL are being persecuted due to preconceived notions and stereotypes that aren’t necessarily accurate traits of the breed as a collective whole. Military families with banned dogs are feeling the effect of BSL two-fold: unable to live on-base due to military pet regulations, and unable to live off-base because of municipal breed bans. The issue is further complicated when service members deploy and seek to foster their pets, since BSL limits where these pets can be cared for while awaiting their owners’ return.

The implications go beyond those in active duty. Recent stories highlight disabled veterans with banned-breed service dogs running afoul of local breed-discrimination laws. At Pets for Patriots, we believe that every dog deserves a loving home, regardless of its pedigree.

Is your dog deemed dangerous? Find out if your branch of service or military base has put out the “not wanted” sign for your dog’s breed.

*****

I am disabled veteran and wife of a Staff Sergeant (SSG) in the Army who is currently deployed in Afghanistan. My health has not been good and there is only one thing that makes me want to face each day:  the love my dogs give me and my love for them. Pets can truly be a life safer.

I have no family contacts and have no children, so the dogs are my only company while my husband is deployed. Many days I cannot leave the house, so we keep each other company. 

I spent six years in the Marines reaching the rank of Sergeant and three years in the Army. I am a Gulf War veteran and, while preparing for a deployment back to the Gulf, a Corpsman gave me a yellow fever vaccination without asking me if I had an egg allergy – which I did – and I almost died.

The injury permanently ruined my heart and lungs, and ended my military career and my future that I had in law enforcement. This was very hard to take and caused me to get very down on myself. 

My dogs remind me that I am still important to somebody, if only them.

Though my dogs were not rescue, I believe this program is so important if it brings comfort to a veteran in need, and I applaud and support this effort.

I would not be here and would have just given up if it had not been for my boys, Tank and Scout. They will never know what a difference they made in my life.  

*****

How do your pets help you face each day a little more easily?

bud-dy (noun): a good friend, companion or partner; a comrade.

Buddy is truly the perfect name for the orphaned two year-old cockapoo who honorably adopted Bill, a Navy veteran, during a trip to Lollypop Farm in May 2011.

Let’s be clear: Buddy chose Bill, not the other way around. Bill was merely at the Rochester, New York animal shelter to appease his wife, Michelle, who had been combing internet websites and nearby shelters for a furry companion to adopt.

“We had talked about getting a dog for a while,” says the Desert Storm veteran, who served on the USS Peleliu out of Long Beach, California from 1988 to 1992. “But I wasn’t expecting to rescue one that day.”

A dog chooses his new family

After walking past Buddy’s kennel several times looking at the other dogs, Bill and Michelle noticed Buddy was watching them. “Buddy was looking at us. I mean he was really looking at us,” Bill recalls.

Despite the fact they were not initially interested in a smaller sized dog, Buddy quickly won over the couple; they started the adoption process immediately.

“We had read an article online about Pets for Patriots and knew Lollypop Farms was a participating shelter,” says Michelle, “but we had not researched the application process because we didn’t expect to find a dog that day.”

The staff at Lollypop Farms started the paperwork for the McDonalds and called Pets for Patriots as they waited. “Everyone was so helpful and accommodating. We got approval on the spot.”

Mystery often surrounds adult pets

Bill and Michelle were happy to find an adult dog who needed a loving home and who was already partially trained, with the puppy phase far behind. However, one of the challenges of adopting an adult pet can be the lack of information available to the new family. When adult dogs are surrendered, the history provided to the shelter by the previous owners can be limited, leaving even the most basic information such as age or medical history a mystery.

It was estimated that Buddy was about two years-old, but the veterinarian believed he was actually closer to four. Although Buddy appears to be healthy, there is evidence of abuse in his past: a toe on one of his back paws is missing, causing him at times to walk on just three legs. In addition, he can be skittish and timid.

“We were told that Buddy was surrendered to the shelter because his previous family was not able to give him the attention he needed, but his behavior and reactions to certain situations indicates something else might have been going on,” says Bill.

These days, Buddy hardly suffers from lack of attention or love. He thoroughly enjoys his cuddle time on the couch, being a full-time lap dog and checking out the couple’s three chinchillas, two of whom are rescues as well.

“He really likes them, but I think he is also a little confused by them,” jokes Michelle.

The timid little cockapoo has brought a lot of energy to his new home, even getting Bill and Michelle out into the community and walking more, which benefits the entire family.

“We have met a lot of our neighbors on our evening walks,” says Michelle.

Unfortunately, Bill lost his teaching job shortly after Buddy’s adoption, but has found the additional assistance Pets for Patriots offers with discounted veterinary fees to be especially helpful and a great comfort during this uncertain time.

One thing Bill is certain of is that Pets for Patriots offers a great service to the military community.

“I highly recommend this program to veterans and appreciate all it has brought to our lives,” says Bill.

*****

Have you ever gone to adopt a pet only to find it chose you instead?

Good for you, good for your pet
Of course, you could keep your pet inside until the spring thaw arrives, but that’s not practical or terribly fun. Take your pet to the veterinarian for a winter check-up before the bitter cold really sets in. Many factors contribute to your pet’s ability to tolerate the cold, including breed, age, size and general medical condition.

Using yourself as a measure of comfort is always a good rule of thumb. When you’re cold and ready to go inside, there’s a good chance that your pet probably is as well. Remember that you’re the boss. Don’t wait for your pet to beg you to go back in the house; that’s unlikely to happen.

Once indoors be sure to wipe your pet down, paying particular attention to its legs, feet and stomach. Otherwise, your pet could ingest salt or other harmful snow- and ice-removal chemicals that it picked up outside. Clean your pet’s foot pads, including the spaces in between where rock salt and other harmful chemicals can settle in. Small snowballs and ice pellets often get stuck in a pet’s foot bed as well, and can be painful until they either melt or are removed.

Gimme shelter
Think of what it would take to keep you warm if you spent any extended length of time in the elements. Would a fur coat be enough? If your pet has to be outside, provide a shelter that’s free from drafts, and put a blanket and wrapped hot water bottle inside.

In spite of the cold, pets can dehydrate. Always make sure your pets have fresh, clean water that isn’t frozen. Increase your dog’s or cat’s food intake slightly and in consultation with your veterinarian, since it’s burning more energy in order to stay warm.

Cats are crafty in the cold
These tips aren’t just for dogs. Cats need special attention in the cold as well, and are notorious for being able to fit into small places that might not be safe – in any weather. 

During the winter months, outdoor cats will find anything and everything they can to curl up to in order to stay warm – including car engines. Before starting your car make a lot of noise by beeping the horn, or tapping and checking under the hood. Clean up any anti-freeze that may spill onto the ground; cats and dogs will mistake it for something sweet and drink it, but it is a deadly poison. Take your pet to a veterinarian immediately if it starts to show any symptoms of anti-freeze poisoning or if you’ve witnessed them drinking it.

Ideas from other pet owners
Our Facebook fans offered these additional tips:

• Put Mushers Wax on your pet’s paw pads to keep them dryer, warmer and to protect them from road salt.
• Deck out Fido or Fluffy in a coat that covers their underbelly and legs, blocking snow, rain and wind. 
• Avoid walking your pet over manholes, which have occasionally electrocuted pets during rogue voltage spikes. 
• Keep warm weather pet supplies in your car, just in case you break down or need to walk to get help. Our readers suggest a pet coat, booties and a packable water bowl, as well as a spare bottle of water and non-perishable pet snacks. Of course, this is in addition to a winter emergency car kit for your own safety.

Most of all, use common sense and be extra vigilant to any changes in your pet’s behavior or health during all types of extreme weather.

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What’s your best winter pet care tip?

The Freekibble Holiday Koast-to-Koast Kibble Drop delivered 40 tons – yes, that’s 80,000 pounds! – of all natural, delicious and nutritious Halo Spot’s Stew to animal shelters in need. That adds up to an impressive 400,000 meals served to homeless dogs and cats hoping to be adopted. The last piece of kibble was delivered just before the Christmas holiday, benefiting more than 40 animal welfare groups from the East to West coasts, and many places in between.

Before the two semi-trucks loaded with kibble hit the road, Pets for Patriots was asked to nominate several of our adoption partners that would benefit from this donation. With 95 shelters, rescues, SPCAs, humane societies and municipal animal controls in our current partner network (and growing daily), we were hard-pressed to pick where to send some kibble love. They’re all deserving and each does outstanding work every day to improve the lives of homeless animals.

Luckily, the ‘Kibble Drop’ itinerary made our decision a little easier: we had to choose partners that are located within reasonable proximity of the trucks’ delivery routes.

The decision was still difficult: all of our adoption partners do terrific work to care for the animals in their charge and help them find loving homes. In the end, the following Pets for Patriots adoption partners were part of Freekibble’s largest Kibble Drop ever:

• Seattle Humane Society
• Kitsap Humane Society
• Adopt-A-Dog
• Animal Welfare League of Arlington
• Brookhaven Animal Shelter

Ben and Siren formed a strong bond through the abandonment they each experienced in their lives.

Ben is a Staff Sargent in the Air Force. Stationed at Langley Air Force Base (AFB) for six years, he works the stealth coatings for the F-22. Like many military personnel, Ben serves where the military needs him; throughout his career he’s served temporary duty at Tyndall AFB, Nellis AFB, Hickam AFB, Ft. Hood, Wake Island and Kadena AFB. He cherishes going home each night to his adopted dog, Siren.

“I work long hours and in a stressful environment, and it’s great to come  home to Siren after a hard day of work.”

But Ben didn’t always have a loving companion greeting him at the door. When asked why he chose to adopt through Pets for Patriots, his answer is heartbreaking.

“I chose to adopt Siren through the program because I knew that she and I could relate our lives to each other,” he says.

“I got Siren shortly after my wife left me. After I heard that Siren was also abandoned and stuck in the pound for half of her life, I knew that we would be a great match.”

It’s well established that companion pets provide valuable mental and physical health benefits to their guardians: fewer feelings of isolation or depression, improved sense of well-being, lower blood pressure and cholesterol among just a few. Less easily quantified is the profound bond between people and pets who intuitively feel the other’s pain. Some may question whether animals have the capacity for empathy; we’ll leave that for others to argue. What we do know is that they love without judgment or condition.

Just ask Ben. 

“Siren has dramatically changed my life,” he says. “When I get off of work and come home to Siren, she is just as excited to play with me as I am with her. The love and gratitude that she shows me proves that she is happy in her new home.”

At Pets for Patriots, we’re honored to have played our part in connecting Ben and Siren, two souls who needed – and continue to need – one another. But Ben says it best:

“I feel that I’m in a much better place in my life now that Siren is in it.”

***** 

What life challenge has your pet helped you through?

Born in Chicago, Frank was a toddler when his family moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1973, he relocated to San Diego, a place where he loves to live and volunteer.

In 1974, Frank joined the Navy reserves as a cryptology and radar specialist. He spent 20 months on an aircraft carrier off the Vietnam coast and the remainder of his enlistment as assistant to an admiral in Miramar, California.

“I never drilled one day. I was there to keep the Navy people honest,” he says with a laugh. “I didn’t have decks and bulkheads; I had floors and walls. I had what people would call a good naval career where I didn’t sail a lot.”

After his honorable discharge in 1980, Frank worked at General Dynamics, Delta Airlines and Boeing, building large backup generators for computer systems. In 2003, he got injured and has since been disabled.

Little dogs fill a big void in Frank’s life

Gus and the great escape

Without a clear sense of purpose, Frank decided to rescue his first miniature Schnauzer, 11 year-old Otto, and train him as a service dog. When Otto eventually died, Frank was without a pet for almost three months. The absence took a heavy toll.

Everything changed one summer day when Frank spotted Gus, another miniature Schnauzer, at a Los Angeles shelter. In spite of being only four-and-a-half, Gus was a site for sore eyes.

“He was a pathetic-looking, underweight dog with all the fur chewed off his bottom,” says Frank. “I looked at him and said, ‘okay.’ He had obviously been terribly neglected.” 

Frank knew Gus wasn’t going to have a lot of takers.

“Being an adult shelter dog in that condition, he was not the kind of dog people would want to take home. When I took him out to the car, he put his paws on the dashboard and acted like he was escaping from jail. After about 20 minutes, he slowly came closer and ended up in my lap with his head on my left shoulder for the rest of the trip.”

The name on his dog tag is Gustav, after Frank’s great-great grandfather, but he should really be called a savior.

Health and healing, for pet and person alike

“In the three months between Otto and Gus, I really noticed the difference in my life,” Frank says. “Everyone used to always greet Otto first and then me. Otto and Gus have brought a lot of joy to my life. They’ve been trained to open doors and drawers and pick up things I drop on the floor so I don’t have to bend over, but it’s more than that.

“The emotional support Otto and Gus have given me is amazing.” 

Gus' first day home

Training Gus has taken a little longer than Frank expected, because he’s motivated more by praise than by food. He would rather be petted and told he’s a good boy as a reward.

“Gus serves as an awareness guide as I’m blind in my right eye and deaf in my right ear. He’ll bark to let me know if something’s going on I should know about. He is also my walking coach and leader.”

Little Gus has done wonders for Frank’s physical and emotional health. Formerly sedentary, at 64 Frank now walks two miles a day with Gus.

“My blood pressure and weight have gone down and my mood has improved,” he says. “Since I have a mild problem with depression, that’s a big plus. The walking also keeps up my muscle tone so I have less of a stability problem and more stamina.”

Frank isn’t the only one reaping the benefits of pet adoption. As an adult dog, Gus was saved from near certain death at the shelter.

“Gus is the dog I was supposed to get,” says Frank. “He likes to be the center of attention and everybody loves him. One of my doctors refers to him as my calling card because he engages me in conversations with folks all the time.”

Once “pathetic” dog now a local celebrity

Frank’s pet friend is even a little famous. One day while attending a concert at Balboa Park, a photographer for the Spreckels Organ Society took Gus’ picture, which now adorns the site. In a rare twist, Otto was previously photographed for the site, a coincidence not lost on Frank. 

Frank thanks Pets For Patriots for helping him adopt Gus, which made an exception when he found Gus in a non-participating shelter.

“I am extremely happy that I found Pets For Patriots,” Frank says, “it’s a really good organization that cares about what’s going on both with dogs and veterans.”

Even his doctor took notice.

“My vet works with veterans. He sees the radical difference and improvement in them after they’ve adopted a dog.”

“I know a veteran who adopted a Saint Bernard named Petunia. He’s 5’6”, skinny with a beard and he can actually ride the dog. I’m 6’3″ and have a 20 pound, 14-inch tall dog.”