Sign In

Pups 4 Patriots

May 21, 2020

Coleman Natural Foods welcomed the next class of veteran and service dog teams to the Pups4Patriots program, which rescues qualified dogs in need of forever homes and trains them to be service pets for veterans with post-traumatic stress (PTS) and traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The six new pairs were matched and are making headway on training through a commitment the company made in 2019. Last fall Coleman Natural honored the first six graduates of the program.

“The resilience of these veterans and their dogs is something unparalleled,” said Mel Coleman, Jr., chief executive officer of Coleman Natural. “Despite additional challenges brought on by COVID-19, we are confident this group will excel in any environment.”

The veteran and service dog pairs include:

Mike & Mark Jacob: Mike is a veteran of numerous United States military branches, including the Navy, Air Force, National Guard, and Army. Mike is paired with a Labrador/German Shepherd mix named Mark Jacob.

Dean & Bama: Dean is a US Army veteran. His dog is Bama, a male Goldendoodle.

Joey & Bugg: Joey is a US Army veteran. He currently lives in Tennessee and is paired with Bugg, a female German Shepherd.

Michael & Scout: Michael is a US Air Force veteran. He lives in Tennessee and is paired with Scout, a male Labrador/Retriever mix.

Jeremy & Ali: Jeremy is an US Army veteran from Tennessee. Jeremy is paired with Ali, a female German Shepherd mix.

Joseph & Bellarosa: Joe is a US Army veteran. He lives in Oklahoma and is paired with Bellarosa, a female German Shepherd.

Register Your Dog

  • Most Recent News

    Former Victoria man’s diabetic alert dog helps him get back to life

    When Luke Hengen’s diabetes worsened in his early twenties, it stripped him of the outdoor activities where the country kid felt at home. Countless wilderness adventures and years of hard-fought football games took a toll on his body, to the point where he could no longer sense when his blood sugar was too high or […]

    Read more

    Students Get Therapy Dog

    When middle school students return to class on Jan. 11, they’ll find a new face at the door: Daisy. Daisy is a therapy dog and the personal pet of Rob Kreger, principal of the Rock L. Butler Middle School. The five-year-old golden retriever is not a school pet or mascot, but rather a working dog […]

    Read more

    Therapy Dogtor

    Last March, Caroline Benzel, a third-year medical student, began to notice the stress and discomfort her nurse friends were feeling from the pressures of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. “[Personal protective equipment] can be really rough on the skin,” Benzel, 31, tells PEOPLE. Benzel and her 3-year-old Rottweiler, Loki (who’s also a therapy dog) hatched a […]

    Read more

    Therapy Dog Pups

    When Stanley the miniature fox terrier’s owner passed away, the little dog started a ‘paw-some’ new role – bringing puppy love to some of the Gold Coast’s oldest residents. After Carinity Cedarbrook Diversional Therapist Julianne Staff adopted Stanley, he began visiting the aged care community at Mudgeeraba as a therapy dog. Therapy dogs help to […]

    Read more

    Puppy Cams

    A nonprofit is providing an unusual form of therapy for those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic – puppy cams! “You spend five minutes with a puppy and try not to smile,” said registered nurse Robin Lingg Lagrone. Lingg Lagrone says watching little furballs wag their tails and prance on their paws helps […]

    Read more

    Pet Committee

    When Moore County’s school doors were abruptly closed earlier in 2020, two- and four-legged volunteers from the Moore County Citizens’ Pet Responsibility Committee (PRC) were in their 12th year of presenting a six-session Pet Responsibility Education Program for fourth-graders. The PRC quickly shifted gears and placed its program materials online as part of a home […]

    Read more