Saving Both Ends of the Leash: Volunteers Help Foster Dogs and Veterans Find Their Perfect Match

As a critical part of the evaluation process for Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) Pets and Vets program, each psychiatric service dog candidate must spend two to four weeks in a volunteer’s home. photos: ARF

The volunteers at Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) Pets and Vets program are doing more than simply fostering dogs. They are making life-changing matches between rescue dogs and veterans with PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, anxiety, or depression. In short, they’re saving lives. 

“The current situation in America’s animal shelters is dire, and nearly 17 service members take their own lives every day,” explains Susan Lee Vick, ARF’s CEO. “We need volunteers to join us in Saving Both Ends of the Leash®.” Saving Both Ends of the Leash is a registered trademark of the Pets and Vets program.

The ARF Pets and Vets team identifies and carefully selects shelter dogs who might be a good fit for the veterans on their waitlist. Community members then foster rescue dogs being considered for service dog training to help ARF’s team find the perfect pairing.  

As a critical part of the evaluation process, each psychiatric service dog candidate must spend two to four weeks in a volunteer’s home. Volunteers provide socialization and evaluate how each dog reacts to everyday distractions like busy streets, bicycles, and other animals. 

ARF’s team provides full support to foster families, including veterinary care at its onsite clinic and all necessary supplies including food, toys, treats, and more. Based on volunteers’ feedback, dogs with the qualities necessary for the program are carefully matched, free of charge, with veterans on the program’s waitlist to become the perfect partners.

“I love watching these dogs transform from homeless to service dogs,” says Barry, a Pets and Vets foster parent. “I’m honored to be a small part of this life-changing program.”

“Each of these dogs had an uncertain future,” says Mie, another foster volunteer. “But they have so much potential to improve a veteran’s life.”

Lavonte and Baki

Lavonte, a U.S. Army veteran,  knew how much a service animal would help him. “I wanted to start training right away. I was ready and needed it,” recalls Lavonte. “I knew I’d prefer a program that allowed me to train with my service dog, creating a bond with him versus being handed an already trained dog that I just met.” 

ARF’s team found Lavonte a gregarious, 90-pound Mastiff mix named Baki. “I needed an easy, go-with-the-flow dog who could be unfazed in a loud gym environment. Baki is a gentle giant and easy to train because he loves treats,” explains Lavonte. “I know a lot of veterans would benefit from training their service dog.”

Bruno and John

Bruno was a 55-pound German Shepherd mix found as a stray in Tehama County. Malnourished and covered in foxtails, he wasn’t in great shape when he first arrived at Pets and Vets. But after a few weeks of loving care in a foster home, a whole new dog emerged.

Bruno blossomed even more after being paired with his veteran, John. Coincidentally, around the same time, John was participating in a six-week cognitive training held by the Veterans Administration to test his sleep efficiency. His change in sleep quality once he was paired with Bruno was astounding. “I was sleeping at 64% efficiency before I had Bruno," says John. "By the end of the six weeks with Bruno, I improved to 99%.” Curled up in a bed beside John’s, Bruno puts his paw on John to calm him and help him fall back asleep when he wakes in the night.

Ruth and Lucy

Military veterans Ruth and her husband Bryan were still grieving the loss of their beloved black Lab when Ruth discovered ARF’s Pets and Vets program. She saw an opportunity to heal from both the loss of her dog and her PTSD symptoms.

“The Pets and Vets manager suggested she had a Pit Bull mix who might be a perfect fit for me,” recalls Ruth. “So I came in to meet Lucy.”

Lucy had been found abandoned, pregnant, and malnourished. While motherhood came easily to this good girl, it was hard on her body. But after spending weeks in a volunteer’s home raising her puppies, Lucy was ready to return to ARF’s adoption center for a meeting with Ruth.

“Lucy was so mild and sweet, creeping timidly over to me when we first met,” remembers Ruth. “I walked around with Lucy and fell in love with her. My husband and I saved another life by adopting. We rescued her, and she rescued us.”

Transformative matches like these are made possible thanks to volunteer foster families who provide socialization, love, and feedback about each dog selected for the program. Interested in becoming part of this important work? Learn more or sign up for an orientation at arflife.org/foster.

About ARF

ARF’s core mission is the rescue of dogs and cats who have run out of time at public shelters, giving them a chance at life until a new home can be found. ARF couples this focus with innovative programs that strengthen the human-animal bond for children, seniors, veterans, and people in under-resourced communities. Through ARF, people experience the unconditional love and acceptance of dogs and cats to fulfill a mission of People Rescuing Animals … Animals Rescuing People®.