GLENPOOL, Okla. — Calling all Green Country Veterans who might be looking for a new pet to add to the family!
Friends of Glenpool Shelter and VFW Post 9126 are hosting the inaugural "Shelter Pets 4 Vets" adoption event on Oct. 21!
"Getting a veteran that animal gives them a loyal friend in their life," said Post Commander Aaron Allen. "Somebody that's going to love them unconditionally."
As a Veteran himself, Allen knows how vital companionship can be.
"We understand the importance that animals have for Veterans. Sometimes an animal is all that a Veteran has," Allen said.
That is why the VFW post has teamed up to get local Veterans a shelter animal.
So, not only is it to give back and help our heroes, but it is also to lower the number of animals awaiting adoption.
"We're able to help out a local shelter, help get some of the animals adopted in the same time with the generous donations from the citizenry and everyone else that were able to get a Veteran an animal completely free of charge," Allen said.
"Dogs are, and even cats, they're a very good support system for them," Jessi Taylor, a volunteer with the Friends of Glenpool Shelter, said."They don't talk back. They love you even when you can't love yourself. And they're just wonderful."
Taylor said the issue of crowded shelters is a problem all over the country.
That is why this event is so important.
"So that we can find homes for all these dogs that we've got, and we have a lot," Taylor said. "And, also, hopefully, a happily ever after with a Veteran.
If you cannot attend the adoption event on October 21, that is okay, too.
"At any point throughout the year, a Veteran can show up," Allen said. "As long as we keep getting the donations covered, they can show up and get an animal completely free of charge."
"I've got an insane amount of support from friends and family. And I just understand how that animal could be somebody's only connection to love.
With the VFW and shelter, other organizations are involved in making the event successful.
"I started to reach out to other organizations trying to see if we could find an organization that's geared more towards training," Allen said. "Because sometimes you can get a dog from a shelter. That means a little, it can be a little rough around the edges."
That is where Got Your 6 training came in.
Mark Allen, a local dealership, also got involved.
"They wanted to help incentivize people providing the donations," Allen said. "So they're providing the gift basket. All we know is that there's an oil change involved. We don't know anything else that's in that gift basket. So, we're hoping that anybody that donates. I mean, we hope they donate. Not just for the gift basket. We hope that they donate for the cause itself, but it never hurts to have a little bit of an incentive there."
Allen also said they continue looking for more partners to get involved.
"We are looking for other nonprofits or pet-oriented organizations that want to show up or just wanting to turn it into kind of a bigger thing than what it originally began as," Allen said.
The "Shelter Pets 4 Vets" event is from 2-6 p.m. on Oct. 21 at the parking lot in front of Realty Network on East 141st Street.
So far, more than 800 dollars has been raised to get Veterans these animals.
If you would like to donate, visit the post's Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/vfwpost9126/
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