by Sarah Schauerte
Upon review of my blog posts over the last few months or so, I realized they focus almost solely on government shenanigans – the shutdown, various forms of red tape, inefficiencies, and frustrations. Sure, veterans need to know about these timely issues, but it is not my aim to depress my readers. Accordingly, this blog post is about….puppies!
Well, dogs and cats. Also, it does relate to military members: what can soldiers do with their pets when they’re deployed?
Last Saturday, when I was at the dog park with my Lab/Pitbull/Greyhound/Unidentified Mutt, Archer, I started talking with two other dog owners, Christopher and Sandy. Christopher is on active duty with the Marines, and he just returned from a six-month deployment in Afghanistan. Sandy is a retired nurse, and her husband served as a Marine for three tours in Vietnam. They knew each other through a program called Guardian Angels for Soldiers’ Pets, which is an organization designed to help deploying military members find someone to watch their pets while they’re gone.
It’s a brilliant idea, because here’s the thing. If a soldier asks a family member to watch his pet while he’s away, of course the family member isn’t going to turn him down. But at the same time, it might not be a good match. Maybe the family member only says yes out of obligation, or maybe the family member is elderly but the pet needs tons of exercise. Maybe the family member’s pets don’t get along with other animals. Or the family member is gone during long work hours, but they try to make it work.
With an organization like this one, however, a military member gets a good match. The organization works to find a “foster” – essentially a long-term babysitter for the pet while the soldier is away. That foster is someone who is military-friendly – another soldier who used the program who is paying the favor forward, a veteran or veteran family, or maybe just a veterans advocate. Plus, they’ve volunteered – that person wants the dog in their home.
While some people may be understandably leery about leaving their baby (yes, a pet is actually a child) with a stranger, that person has been screened through the foster program. The soldier can meet with the foster to make sure they’re comfortable with the arrangement, and the soldier can also have friends and family members check up on the foster to make sure the pet’s happy.
Also, a soldier gets a friend for life. Someone who watches your pet while you are deployed for six months or more will become your friend. Period.
If you know anyone who has a pet and may be deployed, foster organizations such as Guardian Angels should be considered. After all, your pet is your baby. You want to be sure he or she has the absolute best babysitter while you’re gone, and that you have peace of mind.
Don’t, however, be surprised if you come back to find your dog a bit on the porky side. Because if I choose to participate in this program (and I may), I will be overfeeding your pet. It may also be used to scraps and sleeping in a people bed. I apologize in advance for any inconvenience.
For more information about foster programs, or to donate to their amazing cause, visit the following websites: Guardian Angels for Soldiers’ Pets, Dogs on Deployment, and NetPets. Keep in mind that you should do this well before you deploy, as the application process and being matched with the right foster might take some time.
Did you find this article informative? If so, please pass it on to a deploying military member. Also, sign up for my weekly blog addressing veterans issues at: https://legalmeetspractical.com.
