What a Year for War Dogs!
From incredible events that bring together the K-9 family to record-breaking fundraisers and more support for retired MWDs given than ever before, Our president, Chris Willingham, reflects on another busy year for our organization.
K-9 Veterans Day
As 2023 draws to a close, I’ve been thinking a lot about some of my personal highlights for what has been a very busy year. There are many moments to choose from:
- Welcoming several new members to the team, who have increased our capabilities to make us more effective than ever before.
- Seeing scores of people choose US War Dogs as the beneficiary of their fundraising efforts, from ultra marathon runners to college students selling hot dogs.
- Receiving personal donations from our loyal supporters and those who have been moved by our mission to support us financially.
- Adding new corporate supporters to our roster and working with loyal and established brands, whose fundraising efforts make an immeasurable difference to the services we can offer.
- Our first commemoration of K-9 Veterans Day at the Navy Museum in Washington D.C.
Volunteers, supporters and friends - you’re all a valued part of our organization
This short list of highlights represents a multitude of special moments for me – from the opening of an envelope and reading a personal letter that accompanies a financial contribution to our cause, to watching dog teams from all branches of service salute the fallen at our K-9 Veterans Day celebration, back in March. But if you forced me to pick my all-time favorite highlights from 2023, it would be the strides we’ve made to increase the care we provide to MWDs – active and retired. In 2023 we:
- Provided 300 care packages and specialized gear requests to dog teams both on deployment and working on home soil.
- Arranged to cover the cost of emergency veterinary care to 21 dogs, to the tune of $97,000
- Covered the cost of prescription medications to 1,200 retired MWDs, saving handlers and adoptive families $134,514.
- Adding The Dawgs Project and The Ddamien Project as official US War Dogs partners, joining our longstanding chapters; US War Dogs Chapter 3, Michigan War Dogs Memorial, and Mission K-9 Rescue.
Meet some of the K-9s and partners that we are supporting
Expanding the ways that we can support our K-9 community gives us a huge sense of pride, but we are only able to continue to do this, with the help of our generous donors and friends. To every single person, business, community group and funder who has supported our cause - I can’t thank you enough. Please know that you are making a real difference to our organization and to the dogs and families who rely on us.
A look back at the Fall
The last quarter of this year has been filled with so many things to celebrate and be grateful for. We were honored to be invited to the rededication of the Guardians of the Night MWD monument at Lackland Air Force Base, TX, in October. On that same weekend, our War Dogs board member, Alex Schnell, picked up puppy program arrival, OOx, who is learning all about the big wide world while Alex and his wife Maddie foster him until he is ready to return to Lackland for basic training.
Our board came together to attend the rededication of the K-9 monument in Texas
Deciding to foster OOx was part of the grieving process, having lost Bass earlier this year. US Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) multi purpose canine (MPC) Bass, passed away following a battle with cancer. He was 13 years old and had enjoyed an illustrious career comprising five deployments, for which he was decorated with the PDSA Dickin Medal and the Animals in War and Peace Medal of Bravery.
OOx is a fast learner
OOx is continuing to thrive under Alex and Maddie’s care and we can’t wait to see him embark on his career.
We were thrilled to be the subject of a month-long fundraising from veteran-owned brand, Vortex. Throughout November, proceeds from the sale of the firm’s dog collars were donated to our cause, with regular posts on Vortex’ social media pages, helping us to gain exposure to their millions of fans and followers. We can’t thank Vortex enough for their incredible support.
Veteran-owned Vortex supported us with a fundraiser throughout November
Our care package program kicked into gear in time for Christmas, with gear items and gifts being sent out to teams across the globe. Care packages play a special part in our heritage and we love being able to spread some festive cheer with a selection of quality items, hand-picked for deployed K-9s and their handlers.
As we look ahead to 2024, we promise to continue to be there for this community and to help MWDs and their handlers – active and retired – to show our honor and appreciation for them and to alleviate the financial burden of their care, as much as we can.
All that remains is for me to say thank you for your continued loyal support and have a safe and peaceful Christmas. We’ll see you in 2024!
K-9 leads the way!
