Petco Foundation Announces $2.5M to Support Nation's Veterans

SAN ANTONIO, Nov. 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Petco Foundation announced more than $2.5 million in grant commitments to provide service and support dogs to our nation's veterans and to help military contract working dogs retire at home.

Through its annual Helping Heroes campaign, the Petco Foundation's investments include support for the training and placement of former shelter dogs to support veterans with physical or emotional disabilities, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

"Many veterans have shared their stories with us about how their service and support canines have changed or saved their lives," said Petco Foundation President Susanne Kogut.  "We are honored to provide the vital support necessary to assure that more veterans are able to receive a trained canine companion to help them through the challenges they face when they return home to civilian life."

The Petco Foundation's largest investment will be a $2 million commitment to K9s for Warriors (Ponte Vedra Beach, FL), the nation's largest provider of service dogs for American veterans. Additional investments include $75,000 to Veterans Assistance Dogs of Texas (Kerrville, TX), $25,000 to Operation Delta Dog (Chelmsford, MA), $40,000 to Project Delta, Inc. (Brooklyn Park, MN), $30,000 to Shelter to Soldier, Inc. (San Diego, CA) and $50,0000 to Companions for Heroes (Saint Simmons, GA).

"We are incredibly grateful and humbled by the Petco Foundation's transformative gift to our program and their continued support of our nation's heroes," said K9s For Warriors Chief Executive Officer Rory Diamond. "This donation will be the cornerstone of our national expansion and will be the difference in our ability to carry out our mission of rescuing dogs and training them to be life-saving service dogs for disabled American veterans."

The Petco Foundation's Helping Heroes investments not only provide support for human veterans but for those canine heroes protecting our country and our troops. The Foundation continued its long-standing commitment to U.S. military and contract working dogs through a grant to Mission K9 Rescue (the Petco Foundation's 2017 Helping Heroes Award winner), providing crucial funding needed to bring these canines home and support medical care to prepare them to retire with loving families.

The Petco Foundation concluded its 2018 Helping Heroes campaign in partnership with Merrick Pet Care at the end of October. Since 2009, this annual campaign has helped to provide more than $14 million to support working, service and therapy animals all across the country. These Helping Heroes not only safeguard our military and support our veterans, but they also rescue people during disasters, help to give independence, comfort the sick and even benefit children learning to read.

About the Petco Foundation
At the Petco Foundation, we believe that every animal deserves to live its best life. Since 1999, we've invested more than $225 million in lifesaving animal welfare work to make that happen. With our more than 4,000 animal welfare partners, we inspire and empower communities to make a difference by investing in adoption and medical care programs, spay and neuter services, pet cancer research, service and therapy animals, and numerous other lifesaving initiatives. Through our Think Adoption First program, we partner with Petco stores and animal welfare organizations across the country to increase pet adoptions. So far, we've helped more than 5.5 million pets find their new loving families, and we're just getting started. Visit petcofoundation.org to learn more about how you can get involved.

Contact: Lisa Lane
Petco Foundation, Director of Marketing and Development
[email protected]
(858) 877-0431

SOURCE Petco Foundation