Free pet adoptions to veterans in Lake County
TAVARES, Fla. - This Veterans Day, the Lake County Animal Shelter is honoring our servicemen and women the best way they know how - by offering free pet adoptions to them.
“They’re there when you’re sick,” Navy veteran John Flenker said. “They’re there when you’re lonely. They’re there for anything that you need. Dog, cats, whatever, animals. They’re the best thing you can have.”
John Flenker is a veteran.
He’s at the shelter looking for a new family pet.
“We, personally, we only go to shelters to ever get dogs just because they need homes,” Flenker said. “So, I mean, to have a shelter that does this is amazing.”
This adoption event was all made possible thanks to a donation from the local Daughters of the American Revolution chapter.
“We’re happy to have this partnership and to honor our veterans in this really, kind of, great way,” said Whitney Boylston, director of the office of Animal Services for Lake County.
Shelter workers said one of the main reasons they wanted to offer free pets to our vets is because they’re good for your health.
“They can be very calming for our veterans who may be experiencing some post-traumatic stress or some loneliness,” Boylston said. “So, pairing a veteran up with a pet is just a very fantastic combination.”
The shelter will be offering the adoptions to veterans until the end of the month.