Petland Charities Supports Veterans

Petland Charities has partnered with Heartland Canines for Veterans, a 501c3 non-profit organization helping our nation’s warriors who need a canine partner, trained to help them thrive.

Petland Charities proudly supports the organization’s “One of Us” program with grant monies used to cover veterinary care, training, equipment, kenneling and administrative costs for the K9 team. Petland Charities donated an $18,000 grant to cover the cost of providing a service dog to a U.S. veteran living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The veteran recipient, U.S. Army veteran Vern Marchington of Joplin, Missouri, was paired with Bella, a German Shepherd. Bella participated in obedience training, and in training as a PTSD service dog. She now helps Marchington, a veteran of the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts, manage mobility challenges, as well as depression and anxiety.

“Heartland Canines for Veterans is eternally grateful for its continued and lasting relationship with a caring organization like Petland,” said Executive Director Jimmy Burgess. “Our sole mission is to provide service dogs to veterans who need them. We are fortunate to be partnered with an organization like Petland that also supports the wellbeing of our veterans.”

To learn more about Heartland Canines for Veterans, visit heartlandk9s.org.