Program Matches Homeless Animals with Military Veterans

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MILLERSVILLE, MD — Active duty military personnel, as well as veterans, may adopt pets at no charge through Anne Arundel County Animal Control.

The facility has partnered with Pets for Patriots, Inc. to let families adopt some of the most overlooked dogs and cats: older cats and dogs, larger dogs and animals with special needs.

Pets for Patriots, Inc., is a national nonprofit organization that partners with nationwide charities to give shelter dogs and cats a second chance at life by going home with veterans and active duty military personnel, who receive special discounts on adoption costs, start-up supplies and veterinary services.

Military members participate for free in the Pets for Patriots program.

As special thank you to program participants for their service, Anne Arundel County Animal Control will waive its normal adoption fees and Friends of Anne Arundel County Animal Control, Inc., a nonprofit created by some of the shelter’s volunteers to support its homeless pets, will pay for each pet adopted through this program to be microchipped.

To reduce the chance that these pets are surrendered, Pets for Patriots will send participants who adopt an eligible pet a $150 gift card to help with food and other essentials and will provide access to local veterinary partners who have agreed to offer these pets ongoing discounted care.

Individuals from all United States armed forces and at any stage of their careers are welcome to participate. Eligible pets must meet one of three criteria: a dog or cat two years or older or with special needs, or a dog over 40 pounds.

“Our goal is to help our adoption partners re-home harder-to-place pets that still have years of love and life to give while at the same time making it more affordable for military personnel to bring a pet into their lives,” says Beth Zimmerman, founder and executive director of Pets for Patriots. “We’re delighted to work with Anne Arundel County Animal Control to give these last-chance pets a second chance at life and, in so doing, to enhance the lives of veterans in the community. Everybody wins.”

Anne Arundel County Animal Control already places thousands of pets each year through adoptions and its rescue group partners, but it is always seeking new ways to rehome pets, especially those that often take longer to find a new family to love, says Robin Catlett, Animal Control Administrator.

“Through our new partnership with Pets for Patriots, we hope to provide forever homes to even more loving animals with the many service members and veterans in our area,” Catlett says. “It is our hope that by joining Pets for Patriots, we will inspire our local veterans and service members to give these animals a loving home. This will help us place more hard-to-adopt pets with good people who need or want a companion pet,”

To participate in this program, individuals first must apply for approval from Pets for Patriots (www.petsforpatriots.org). Approval typically takes no more than two business days, after which they can visit Anne Arundel County Animal Control to begin the adoption process to find their new best friend.

Veterans do not have to be Anne Arundel County residents to participate in this program or adopt from the shelter at 411 Maxwell Frye Rd. in Millersville.