Many people do not realize that, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, roughly 1.2 million veterans live below the poverty line. Many are faced with the heart wrenching decision to care for their pets or for themselves, these selfless heroes always put their pets first.
This past weekend the Paws of War mobile veterinary clinic was out again providing free veterinary care to dozens of deserving heroes pets. Dogs and cats were seen, giving wellness exams, vaccines and preventatives, and microchipping.
“To see the joy and even tears in these Veteran’s eyes knowing that their pets are being cared for never gets old”, says Robert Misseri the co-founder of Paws of War. “We wish we had more veterinarians willing to volunteer their time, and additional resources so we could do more of these clinics to keep up with the demand. Over the next few months we hope to run this unit up and down the east coast and into Kentucky.”
James Penzel a veteran who attended the clinic says, “coming here to this clinic today is a life changer for me. Tonight for the first time in a long time I will be able to sleep knowing my best friend is being cared for.”
The organization provides free annual exams, vaccinations, dental exams, flea and tick preventatives, nail clipping, heartworm testing and preventative care, microchipping, minor surgeries, preventative medicine, and x-rays. They also provide veterans with pet food assistance to help care for their pets.
These are the most vulnerable vets who need help caring for and providing for their pets, who in many cases are their only family, and Paws of War steps in to provide much-needed assistance through the help of supporters around the country.
“Too often, we come across veterans who have to choose between taking care of their own health and taking care of their pets. They always chose their pets. It’s just in the DNA of our veterans to sacrifice,” added Misseri. “This clinic is just one way we reach out to this community that far too often stays on the sidelines and will never ask for help. It's harder to say no when we bring it to their front door. We can't do this without the support of people in the community, and we are grateful for it.”
Another program Paws of War offers is emergency foster and boarding. Many veterans are isolated and don’t not have nearby friends or family who can step in and help them out. This is why Paws of War is offers emergency foster care services for the pets of hospitalized veterans.
“Many veterans live alone or may not have the financial resources to put their dog or cat into boarding when hospitalized," said Robert Misseri, “We want to ease the burden of this by stepping in to help our heroes when they need it the most.” They will provide loving foster care while the vet is hospitalized so that the vet doesn't have to worry about what will happen to their pet while they can't be there to care for it.
To help support the programs provided by the Paws of War mobile vet clinic, visit the site at: https://pawsofwar.org/?form=mobileclinic
Paws of War also focuses on giving back to veterans in various ways. They have helped veterans with numerous issues, including suicide prevention, service and support dogs, companion cats and dogs, food insecurity, veterinary care, etc. Paws of War has a large loyal following of supporters and looks forward to working with new corporate sponsors to support these life-saving programs. To donate to help their mission, visit its site at http://pawsofwar.org.
