Zoetis Expands K-9 Courage™ Program to Support Service Dogs Assisting Veterans

Zoetis recently announced the expansion of its K-9 Courage™ Program to support two American Humane initiatives benefiting military dogs and service dogs that assist veterans: the Wags4Patriots program that helps provide service dogs for veterans who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS), and the Emergency Veterinary Grants for Military Dogs program that awards financial grants to provide emergency treatment to retired military dogs in need.

The Zoetis K-9 Courage Program, which provides healthcare assistance to retired police and military dogs, launched in March 2015 in partnership with the Sage Foundation for Dogs Who Serve and the National Police Dog Foundation.

“We are thrilled to expand our K-9 Courage Program to include service dogs that have specialized training to provide critical assistance to veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress,” said Steve Leder, senior vice president, Companion Animal and U.S. Distribution at Zoetis. “Through this new partnership with American Humane and its Wags4Patriots program, Zoetis can help make an immediate difference in the lives of these veterans as they cope with this disorder and strive to heal. It allows us to raise awareness about the important roles these dogs play in human lives, and why it’s so critical to help ensure their good health.”

The K-9 Courage Program provides the owner of each dog with $300 annually on a debit card that can be applied toward any veterinary expense ranging from wellness visits and vaccines to prescription medications and treats. After quickly reaching its inaugural year goal of supporting 500 dogs, the program has already expanded twice to help meet demand. With this new expansion in 2017 to support service dogs assisting veterans through the Wags4Patriots program, the K-9 Courage Program will assist 650 retired military, police and PTS service dogs.

“American Humane is devoted to harnessing the healing powers of the human-animal bond to help veterans, and specially trained Post-Traumatic Stress service dogs can reduce stress and anxiety levels, mitigate depression, ease social reintegration, provide comfort, and restore confidence in affected veterans,” said Dr. Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of American Humane. “However, there are obstacles standing in the way for veterans in need of service dogs, including the costs of caring for a service dog. We are grateful that Zoetis is helping support these worthy American military heroes – both canine and human.”

To learn more about Wags4Patriots and the Emergency Veterinary Grants for Military Dogs programs from American Humane, please visit http://www.americanhumane.org/program/military.

In 2017, Zoetis will provide approximately $225,000 in financial support for the beneficiaries of its K-9 Courage Program, in addition to product donations. To learn more, please visit www.k-9courage.com.