Get a Pet For Your Vet
Do you find yourself at a loss for ways to help a lonely veteran in need of companionship? We know many good-willed folks out there who want to help vets but have a very busy schedule. Thankfully, there are several creative and loving ways to lend your support to the wonderful veterans in Sarasota.
Why not get a pet for a vet? It’s a great idea if you remember how much you love your dog or cat, and there’s no shortage of pets who need homes. This is a huge win-win: a way to save an animal and help a veteran!
Pets for Vets
There’s a program we appreciate called Pets for Vets. We highly encourage you to check out their services since they have the same spirit of volunteerism and veteran support as we do. We can think of several terrific reasons why you should get a pet for your vet, but here are the most important considerations.
- Life-Saving Companionship
- When SRQ Vets speak of helping veterans, we often refer to some very difficult life circumstances brought about by traumatic war experiences and troubles reassimilating into civilian life. We can conservatively estimate the proportion of veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) at around 20%.
- While there’s no silver-bullet solution to those problems, we see a big advantage to animal companionship. Dogs and cats are well known for 1) Boosting mental health, 2) Increasing self-esteem, 3) Managing trauma symptoms, 4) Reducing loneliness, 5) Encouraging physical activity, and a whole lot more.
- Many Pets in Need These Days
- It’s heart-breaking to see how many pets are left to languish in animal shelters, or worse, be put to sleep since those places can only hold so many.
- Did you know that more than 6 million dogs and cats enter shelters each year in America? Moreover, they euthanize more than one million of those animals annually. We would like to reverse this trend by adopting at least a few of them and matching them with loving owners.
- It’s Inexpensive Yet Effective
- We always want to remind folks that veteran support does not require dedicating huge sums of money or monopolizing one’s time. There are so many cost-effective ways to brighten the lives of ex-military service members who struggle with loneliness, depression, and lack of companionship. Especially by working with programs like SRQ Vets or Pets for Vets, it’s totally affordable to rescue an abandoned cat or dog for a grateful retired serviceman.
SRQ Vets dedicates as much time and energy as possible to improve the lives and morale of veterans in and around Sarasota. There are lots of ways to do this by donating your time, giving money, raising awareness about their various struggles, and even buying someone a new pet. If you’d like to join us in this mission or want to learn how you can help, call us at any time at 941-777-8387.
