3,210 pounds of Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food Arrives to Support Pairing of Veterans with Service Dogs in American Humane’s Pups4Patriots™ Program
STILLWATER, OKLA., June 13, 2019 – Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food has delivered one and a half tons of love and support (3,210 pounds to be exact) in the form of nutritious free pet food to support two of the nation’s most vulnerable populations: America’s vets and America’s pets.
American Humane’s Pups4Patriots™ program in Stillwater rescues qualified animals in need of forever homes and trains them as service dogs for veterans coping with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury. While American Humane, which has supported military veterans and animals for more than 100 years, completely covers the cost of the dogs and their expensive training, which can run upwards of $30,000, the cost of food for these large, active service animals can be significant. Today’s donation will help feed the current class of service dogs being paired with veterans for six to eight months.
“By providing this welcome donation, Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food is helping both our brave veterans and animals who otherwise might never have found homes,” says American Humane veterinarian Lesa Staubus, DVM. “We and those who will be benefited by this extraordinary generosity are very grateful for their support.”
The delivery is part of a national effort by American Humane and Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food to distribute more than a million meals of premium, all-natural Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food to U.S. shelters each year. Last year, Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food also supported Oklahoma City by delivering 13,000 pounds of pet food to the Pet Food Pantry in Oklahoma City.
“This campaign provides help where it is needed most,” said Robin Ganzert, PhD, president and CEO of American Humane, which was also recently involved in the rescue of animals in the devastating Oklahoma floods. “On behalf of all our brave veterans and the life-changing, life-saving animals who work with them, a big thank-you to our friends at Chicken Soup for the Soul.”
Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food’s CEO Chris Mitchell said, “We are honored to play a part in helping our brave veterans and their valiant service animals and thank American Humane for advancing this vitally important work.”