To help active duty soldiers with the difficult event of having to leave their dogs behind while deployed or transferred to housing that doesn’t allow pets, a new non-profit, called Dogs on Deployment, is organizing boarding houses across the country.
Dogs on Deployment is a volunteer organization founded by a husband and wife active duty military family. Lieutenant Shawn Johnson was deployed at the same time his wife, second Lieutenant Alisa Sieber-Johnson, was transferred to a base in Quantico, VA that didn’t allow dogs. They were lucky enough to find a family willing to adopt their pet until they could return. Their situation prompted the Johnson’s to find a solution for other soldiers facing the same issue.
The organization has over 120 boarder homes across the nation, but volunteers are always in high demand. Families who board military dogs may adopt them short-term during the owners’ deployment or long-term until the owners are back in a position to keep a pet again.
Taking care of a dog is a serious commitment, but can be a highly rewarding one, especially for disabled veterans. Dogs have long since been paired with disabled veterans for therapy and assistance reasons – from guide dogs to PTSD therapy. While these dogs aren’t trained for therapy use, they can still be a great companion for a disabled veteran. This program can open up an opportunity for a disabled veteran to continue to support their fellow service members.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veteran’s disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.
