Pets Love Vets celebrates 5 years of free pet adoption to military veterans

Published 9:38 am Wednesday, July 12, 2023

In 2018, the Rotary Club of Greene and Putnam Counties launched Pets Love Vets as a free shelter pet adoption program for U.S. military veterans. Studies of human blood chemistry show a significant reduction in stress-related hormones when people interact with animals. These positive physiological effects can occur in as little as five to 24 minutes, which is faster than medication for stress.

With these facts in mind, the Rotary Clubbrought together various community resources and created a simple process to facilitate the healing partnership between vet and pet.

Pets Love Vets has been a resounding success. To date, 131 shelter animals have been adopted by veterans and their families. However, veterans can only take advantage of the program if they know it exists. Consequently, The Rotary Clubis always looking for help in raising awareness of the program within the military veteran community.

To adopt a shelter animal through Pets Love Vets, veterans just need to contact or visit one of our participating shelters and show one of the following ID documents: A Common Access Card (CAC), a Retired Veterans ID card, or DD Form 214. An adoption counselor will then happily work with the vet to find the right companion for them and their families.

Once the veteran has been successfully united with thepet, the shelter will bill the Rotary Club to pay all adoption fees.

For more information on the Pets Love Vets program call Scott Gessay at 703-407-0153.

Participating Shelters

  1. Oconee Regional Humane Society

    • 1020 Park Avenue, Suite 101, Greensboro, GA 30642

    • 706-454-1508

    • www.orhspets.org

  1. Oconee County Animal Services

    • 1171 Branch Road

    • 706-769-3956

    • https://oconee-county-animal-services-ocga-gis.hub.arcgis.com

  1. Putnam County Animal Services