This is what love looks like At Paws of War.
Paws of War “Taking care of both sides of the leash”
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Paws of War is a specialized program that brings together veterans, first responders and abandoned/rescue animals who through training and socialization bond and become family. The pets thrive with the opportunity to give unconditional love and the veterans/first responder benefits from having assistance and support to help them get through some of the difficult times they too often face.
In September Paws of War received word from a sheriff in Kentucky who reported that they had six puppies and adult dogs that had been rescued from horrendous conditions at a puppy mill.
Puppy mills have been in the news recently* as the State Legislature recently passed the Puppy Mill Pipeline bill, which prohibits the sale of puppies, kittens and rabbits in retail pet stores in New York.
The bill, championed by the Humane Society of the United States, ASPCA and New York State Animal Protection Federation has yet to be signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul.
Meanwhile animals are left in harsh conditions while retailers make a profit. Paws of War’s mission is to safely rescue these animals from puppy mills and war-torn areas of the world and safely pair them with veterans and first responders. ;)
The puppies were rescued from a backyard breeder in Kentucky, where they were abandoned and left in the sweltering heat with no food or water. All suffered from dehydration and were covered in fleas. The sheriff heard of the good work being done by Paws of War and he asked if they would they be willing to take the very young puppies and become part of the program. Robert Misseri, President and Founder of Paws of War jumped at the opportunity.
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The puppies were bathed nurtured and given a health and temperament evaluation. They were transported with great fanfare to Nesconset where they;)
were greeted by staff, volunteers and veterans some future recipients and others who brought their own Paws of War dogs with them to welcome the newcomers.
The dogs will be trained alongside their new family member to become either companion dogs or service dogs. Service dogs receive a more specialized training and often assist with routine chores. Companion dogs often act as the eyes and ears and provide comfort for its human parent.
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Ralph Perricelli with Skipper;)
Michelle Obrien with RubyAccording to Mr. Misseri, although all size dogs can be part of the program, small dogs are very much sought after by many people in the program. “We see lives change every day from what our dogs can do.”
Currently there are over 200 training groups participating at the Nesconset site. The organization survives on donations the program is free for veterans and first responders.
* This article was edited for a correction. Governor Hochul has not yet signed the legislation as was stated before corrected.