Palos Heights, Illinois Oct 9, 2019 (Issuewire.com) - Pets for Vets, Inc. is celebrating its 10th Anniversary on October 20, 2019. From one location in 2009 to the current 26 chapters across the U.S. and the District of Columbia, the organization has successfully made more than 350 Veteran-pet matches nationwide.
The Chicagoland Chapter of Pets for Vets has helped to match thirteen pets with deserving American Veterans in the Chicagoland area throughout Chicago and the surrounding collar county communities.
"Our Pets for Vets Chicagoland Chapter has a dedicated team of volunteers who find it extremely rewarding to rescue and train shelter animals for a deserving Veterans and see them both benefit from their new life together", states Roger Rosenquist, Chapter Director. "On this tenth anniversary of Pets for Vets, we are pleased to announce that Hinsdale Humane Society has recently begun partnering with the Pets for Vets Chicagoland Chapter. By providing access to HHS adoptable animals and HHS resources, the partnership will enable our chapter to help more of our areas Veterans."
“Without the dedication and commitment from our local chapter volunteers, we would not be able to outreach as effectively as we do to both veterans and shelter animals we use in the program,” explains Clarissa Black, Pets for Vets®, Founder and Executive Director. “They are really the mission-critical foundation for our program’s success.”
With steady chapter growth since 2009, Pets for Vets® remains on track to continue to develop 3 – 5 new chapters this year.
Why Pets for Vets®
Many brave troops return home with scars – both seen and unseen – that make it difficult to transition back to civilian life. At the same time, millions of wonderful companion animals wait in shelters for a forever home. Pets for Vets® is the bridge that brings them together.
When a Veteran is matched with the right pet, both lives change for the better. The Veteran saves the animal and welcomes him/her into a loving home. The pet provides unconditional love and support, easing stress, depression, loneliness, and anxiety. Through the Super Bond® they share, they give each other a brand-new start.
A Distinctly Unique Approach
The program is unique in its approach, using a philosophy known as “Super Bond”® to ensure a successful match. After getting to know the Veteran, Pets for Vets® volunteers go about finding the individual’s perfect pet at area shelters. Most requests are for dogs, but they also occasionally match cats and have even placed rabbits.
“We eliminate the stress of getting a new pet,” says Black. “We really get to know our Veterans and what they’re looking for in a pet. What kind of lifestyle do they lead? What is it that they expect from a pet? How do they express joy and love? Then, we go ask the same thing from the pet.”
After pets are selected, they go to the homes of professional Pets for Vets® trainers, where they learn basic obedience skills, good pet manners, and other behaviors that may be helpful to Veterans, such as being comfortable around wheelchairs or recognizing signs of panic or anxiety. Then, once the animal goes to its new home with a veteran, Pets for Vets® provides a lifetime of guidance and support to ensure a successful placement.
About Pets for Vets
Headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina, Pets for Vets, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with chapters in more than 20 states and the District of Columbia. Pets for Vets® helps heal the emotional wounds of military Veterans by using the power of the human-animal bond to provide a second chance for shelter animals that are rescued, trained and paired with American Veterans who could benefit from a companion animal. Learn more at: www.petsforvets.com
Media Contact
Pets for Vets Chicagoland rrosenquist-cl-il@petsforvets.com 630339775 6642 W. Wyandot http://www.petsforvets.com/chicagoland
