A stray cat found itself in the middle of an ongoing baseball game. This inspired Tony and Elaine to start Animal Rescue Foundation. Tony La Russa is the former manager of Oakland Athletics.
Animal Rescue Foundation is in Walnut Creek, California. It is a non-profit group and it takes dogs out of shelters that are known to have a high kill rate. Their goal is to save them from being euthanized.
The organization has a program known as Pets And Vets. Danny Kimbrell and Merritt Rollins do their work here. Danny is a trainer and Merritt is a social worker. Together, they decide which of the dogs in the shelters are the best ones for veterans on their list.
The duo does not look at the dog’s breed or its size when choosing. What they are looking for instead are qualities that the dogs have.
They look for dogs who are comfortable with human touch. They also look for dogs who know how to play friendly. They also are on the lookout for dogs who are calm and confident. These are the kind of traits that the duo is looking for. They take these dogs and train them to be service dogs for the veterans.
The duo also matches veterans with the right dogs for them. Once a match is made, the veteran and the dog are required to go through the training program. Danny teaches the veterans the power of positive reinforcement which is helpful in making the dogs learn quickly and according to what they need them to do.
Pets And Vets has had a number of successful matches. One of them is Brandon, a veteran who has been suffering from PTSD, depression, insomnia, and other health problems. When he was matched to Max, a German Shepherd-Husky mix, the two hit it off. Now, Brandon is living a happier and a healthier life, thanks to Pets And Vets.
Source: Inside Edition
