Pets to Vets
“Pets to Vets” is a powerful approach to helping our service men and women
Transitioning to civilian life can be extremely difficult for many service men and women who have returned with physical and/or emotional injuries.
By some estimates, as many as 20 percent of returning military veterans suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
A Veteran’s quality of life is many time diminished by mental and physical strain acquired during service in high- stress areas of the world and seeing active combat. They have faced unimaginable hardship and difficulty in daily life abroad.
Pets may also suffer from traumatic experiences such as abuse, being dumped on the streets or being surrendered to a noisy, frightening shelter. Both are looking for a way to start again and they find that in each other.
When a Veteran is matched with the right pet, both lives change for the better. The veteran saves the animal and welcomes it into a loving home. The pet provides the veteran with unconditional love and support, easing stress depression loneliness and anxiety.
For Veterans, the knowledge that their animal companion is always there for them can help reduce hypervigilance, depression, anxiety and nightmares. Pets can even help bring the veteran back to the present during a flashback just by moving, barking or nudging with a paw. For the animals, having a routine and a human they trust gives them a sense of belonging and security they may not have had before.
Your support affords Grateful Rescue & Sanctuary the ability to match Pets to Veterans free of charge as one of our community outreach programs. When you click to donate, you have the opportunity to direct your donation to the outreach program(s) you would like to support.