Pets for Patients
Cincinnati VA Medical Center has partnered with Pets for Patients. Veterans can be a part of the special mission of rescuing shelter pets and connecting these pets with families of chronically ill children who are in need of the hope and healing that a companion can provide. Interested Veterans can participate by fostering a shelter animal and providing training so the animal is placed, ready to be the perfect family pet.
Mission
Cincinnati VA Medical Center has partnered with Pets for Patients. Veterans can be a part of the special mission of rescuing shelter pets and connecting these pets with families of chronically ill children who are in need of the hope and healing that a companion can provide. Interested Veterans can participate by fostering a shelter animal and providing training so the animal is placed, ready to be the perfect family pet.
Visit the Pets for Patients website for more information: www.petsforpatients.org
Program Goals
- Connect Veterans with the Pets for Patients program
- Teach Veteran volunteers how to properly train and foster rescue animals
- Improve Veteran physical and mental health
- Connect a chronically-ill child with a companion animal, trained specifically for the child’s needs
- Provide a sense of meaning and helping
Benefits
Did you know interacting with animals can improve both your physical and mental health? There are numerous benefits to fostering and interacting with pets, that can include:
- Increased exercise and outdoor activities
- Increased socialization
- Decreased feelings of loneliness
- Decreased blood pressure
- Decreased cholesterol levels
- Decreased triglyceride levels
Expenses
Rescue fees, veterinarian visits, food, and supplies are all covered.
Foster Requirements
Pets for Patients will ensure each foster placement is a good fit for the Veteran and the animal. While not all inclusive, here are basic requirements for Veterans interested in fostering a dog:
- Provide a safe environment for the dog, both inside and outside
- Provide fresh food and water
- Provide the dog with daily exercise
- Keep a collar with ID tags on the dog at all times
- Be able to transport the dog to veterinary appts or make alternate arrangements for transport
- Make themselves available to Pets for Patients representatives
- Allow a Pets for Patients representative to visit the home environment
How to Volunteer
Email petsforpatients@gmail.com stating you are a Veteran interested in being a part of their foster program.
Contacts
Pets for Patients Contact:
Carol Bonner, Founder and President of Pets for Patients
Email: petsforpatients@gmail.com
VA Contact:
Laura Klug, MA, CCC-SLP, CBIS
TBI/Polytrauma Program Manager
Speech-Language Pathologist
Email: laura.klug@va.gov
