Hero Pups in fourth year of raising comfort dogs for veterans
Federal grant to help pair local veterans with comfort dogs
Hero Pups in fourth year of raising comfort dogs for veterans
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MIKE: THERE’S MANGUS. AND POPPY. BLOCKEY. FRANK. AND EVEN THESE FLUFF BALLS. EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM WILL SOON BE A BEST FRIEND AND A COMFORT TO A VETERAN OR FIRST RESPONDER IN NEED. >> YES, WE WANT TO HELP THE DOGS, BUT WE ARE A PEOPLE-BASED ORGANIZATION. MIKE: FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS, HERO PUPS IN EXETER HAS TRAINED AND PAIRED 92 SUPPORT OR COMFORT DOGS, MOST OF THEM RESCUES, WITH PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS OR OTHER CHALLENGES. >> THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT THE HEALING PROCESS OF A DOG, A CAT, THERAPEUTIC ANIMALS. MIKE: THE PANDEMIC HAS BEEN TOUGH ON SOME VETERANS DEALING WITH THE LONELINESS OF ISOLATION. HERO PUPS HAS ALSO SUFFERED FINANCIALLY WHILE DEMAND INCREASED. GOVERNOR SUNUNU WAS ON HAND TO CELEBRATE A BIG BOOST FOR THE ORGANIZATION. USING FEDERAL CARES ACT MONEY, “SWIM WITH A MISSION” IS GIVING HERO PUPS MORE THAN $260,000 TO MAKE UP FOR LOSSES AND PAIR AN ADDITIONAL 26 DOGS WITH OUR NATION’S HEROES. >> AS LONG AS WE HAVE VETERANS THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH ANY OF THESE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, WE’RE GOING TO KEEP RAISING MONEY. MIKE: I’D LIKE YOU TO MEET 14-WEEK-OLD PUMPKIN. SHE IS ADORABLE AND A BUNDLE OF JOY, AND SHE’S ONE OF 23 DOGS IN TRAINING RIGHT NOW — OH, THANK YOU — WHO VERY SOON WILL GO TO THE HOME OF A LOVING VETERAN. >> NOBODY HERE GETS A PAYCHECK. THERE’S NO ADMINISTRATION. WE HAVE VERY LITTLE OVERHEAD, SO A GRANT LIKE THIS GOES DIRECTLY TO THE CARE OF THE DOGS AND BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THE VETERANS THE TRAINING NECESSARY TO WORK WITH THEIR DOGS. MIKE: IN EXETER, MIKE CRON
Federal grant to help pair local veterans with comfort dogs
Hero Pups in fourth year of raising comfort dogs for veterans
Help is on the way for some New Hampshire veterans suffering from mental health challenges brought on by the pandemic. A group that pairs them with comfort dogs is now getting federal CARES Act money to make a difference in their lives.>> Download the free WMUR appFor the past four years, Hero Pups in Exeter has trained and paired 92 support or comfort dogs, most of them rescues, with people suffering from post-traumatic stress or other challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on some veterans dealing with the loneliness of isolation. Hero Pups has also suffered financially while demand increased. Gov. Chris Sununu was on hand to celebrate a big boost for the organization. Using the federal CARES Act money, the organization Swim With a Mission will be giving Hero Pups more than $260,000 to make up for losses and pair an additional 26 dogs with our nation’s heroes. “As long as we have veterans that are struggling with any of these mental health issues, we’re going to keep raising money,” said Phil Taub from Swim With a Mission.“Nobody here gets a paycheck,” Founder of Hero Pups Laura Baker said. “There’s no administration. We have very little overhead so a grant like this goes directly to the care of the dogs and being able to provide the veterans the training necessary to work with their dogs.”
MANCHESTER, N.H. —
Help is on the way for some New Hampshire veterans suffering from mental health challenges brought on by the pandemic. A group that pairs them with comfort dogs is now getting federal CARES Act money to make a difference in their lives.
For the past four years, Hero Pups in Exeter has trained and paired 92 support or comfort dogs, most of them rescues, with people suffering from post-traumatic stress or other challenges.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on some veterans dealing with the loneliness of isolation. Hero Pups has also suffered financially while demand increased.
Gov. Chris Sununu was on hand to celebrate a big boost for the organization. Using the federal CARES Act money, the organization Swim With a Mission will be giving Hero Pups more than $260,000 to make up for losses and pair an additional 26 dogs with our nation’s heroes.
“As long as we have veterans that are struggling with any of these mental health issues, we’re going to keep raising money,” said Phil Taub from Swim With a Mission.
“Nobody here gets a paycheck,” Founder of Hero Pups Laura Baker said. “There’s no administration. We have very little overhead so a grant like this goes directly to the care of the dogs and being able to provide the veterans the training necessary to work with their dogs.”
