Vets and Pets: Wounded Warriors and the Animals That Help Them Heal

Experience firsthand the inspiring and heartwarming bonds between wounded veterans and their service and companion animals.

"Vets and Pets tells fifteen emotional and entertaining stories of the incredible bonds between wounded warriors, veterans, and other service members and their service and companion animals. Whether these special relationships are with dogs, cats, horses, pigs, or even birds of prey, readers will discover how these remarkable animals help veterans return to civilian life and live independently while simultaneously bringing joy and confidence into their lives.

Tyler struggled to adjust to civilian life after losing both of his legs in Afghanistan, until he met his intelligent and willfully disobedient red European Doberman pinscher, Apollo. Vietnam veteran Patrick regained a sense of well-being and hope through the study of birds of prey. Max the horse has helped numerous veterans learn to trust, improve their communication, and increase their self-confidence and self-esteem. Mandi discovered that the intelligence and unconditional love of pigs were exactly what she needed to heal from an abusive past and a disappointing army-training injury. These are just a few of the uplifting stories that are featured in this striking collection.

In addition to exploring the unique, lifelong bonds that can develop between veterans and their animal companions, Vets and Pets spotlights extraordinary nonprofits that unite wounded warriors with service and companion animals, including Pets for Patriots, Hooves Marching for Mercy, Horses Helping Heroes, and Avian Veteran Alliance, among others. A portion of the proceeds from this book will be donated to Pets for Patriots.

Dava Guerin worked for more than twenty years in the marketing and communications and public relations fields. She managed national and international public relations programs for many Fortune 500 companies and provided media credentialing and media management for the 2000 Republican National Convention, the President’s Summit for America’s Future, and We the People 200, among others. She is also the coauthor with Kevin Ferris of Unbreakable Bonds: The Mighty Moms and Wounded Warriors of Walter Reed. She lives in Berlin, Maryland, with her husband, mother, and two labradoodles, J.P. Morgan and Tinkie.

Kevin Ferris is the coauthor with Dava Guerin of Unbreakable Bonds: The Mighty Moms and Wounded Warriors of Walter Reed. He is the commentary editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer, and his freelance work has appeared in the Weekly Standard, the Wall Street Journal, and the Christian Science Monitor. He has two children and lives in West Chester, Pennsylvania, with an Irish setter named Samson.

Barbara Bush is the wife of George H. W. Bush, the forty-first president of the United States, and mother of George W. Bush, the forty-third president of the United States. She founded the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.

Andrea Arden is Animal Planet’s pet expert and has been named the best dog trainer in New York by New York magazine, Time Out magazine, Quest magazine, and the Daily News. She is the author of Barron’s Dog Training Bible, Dog Friendly Dog Training, Train Your Dog the Lazy Way, and The Little Book of Dog Tricks.