NOTTINGHAM, MD—Pets on Wheels, a Maryland therapy pet organization, has received a $5,000 grant from Petco Love, a national nonprofit, to support its work with veterans. The grant is part of Petco Love’s Helping Heroes initiative, which supports service, therapy, and working animals.
Petco Love works to make communities and pet families closer, stronger, and healthier. Since its founding in 1999, the organization has invested nearly $400 million in adoption and lifesaving initiatives. Petco Love recently granted more than $500,000 to 50 service, therapy, and working animal organizations, including Pets on Wheels. Since 2009, Petco Love has invested more than $18 million to train and support pets that help save and improve the lives of others.
Pets on Wheels provides therapy pet visits to schools, hospitals, veterans’ facilities, nursing homes, libraries, crisis response sites, and other locations. The organization relies solely on private donations.
“Lifesaving investments like this one from Petco Love are critical to us being able to provide the visits from our therapy pets that make such a difference,” said Gina Kazimir, executive director of Pets on Wheels. “The love of a visit from an animal friend can often cut through PTSD, trauma, loneliness and even dementia to help people heal.”
“Dogs generally have an unwavering loyalty and intuitive nature,” said Susanne Kogut, president of Petco Love. “They provide that unconditional love we all need. But when trained to help and serve, these dogs perform life-changing functions, comforting and empowering veterans, who have served their country, to regain independence and rebuild their lives once again.”
Visit https://www.PetsOnWheels.org for more information about Pets on Wheels, including volunteering. Learn more about Petco Love at https://www.petcolove.org.
This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.
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