WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, November 26, 2019 — American Humane is celebrating the graduation of six veterans and service dogs from our Pups4PatriotsTM program earlier this month, thanks to the generous support of Coleman Natural Foods.
In February, Coleman Natural Foods pledged $800,000 over three years to support the Pups4PatriotsTM program, which trains dogs to become live-saving service animals for veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress (PTS) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). This money will go directly to identifying, training and matching more than two dozen service dog and veteran pairs.
“Thanks to Coleman’s generous commitment, we will have the ability to train more service dogs for more veterans, at no cost to them,” said Robin Ganzert, Ph.D., American Humane President and CEO. “Each new training session is an opportunity to change lives at both ends of the leash.”
Specially trained service dogs can drastically improve the lives of veterans struggling to heal from the invisible wounds of war. Unfortunately, there are many roadblocks on the path to obtaining a service dog. Waiting lists are long, sometimes taking up to two years, and properly training a dog can be costly, sometimes totaling $30,000 per dog.
“Tragically, up to one in five veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan are diagnosed with PTS every year,” said Mel Coleman, 4th generation of the founding Coleman family. ” What the Pups4Patriots program can do to make a difference in treatment outcomes is significant, and we are honored to work alongside American Humane to support this effort.”
Next year, American Humane is on track to double graduation numbers for veterans and service dogs thanks to Coleman Natural Foods contribution.
About American Humane
American Humane is the country’s first national humane organization. Since 1916, American Humane has been First to Serve those who serve our country by helping our nation’s military heroes on the battlefield and on the home front. For more information, visit www.AmericanHumane.org.
About Coleman Natural Foods
Coleman Natural Foods produces all-natural fresh and prepared meats, sourced from American farmers, and served to American families across the country.
As the largest 100% Crate Free pork producer and one of only two pork companies that are American Humane Certified, the company pioneers high standards for animal care and quality ingredients which have been part of the Coleman family business since 1875. Learn more at www.colemannatural.com.
