Paws of War – Canines on a Mission

The Paws of War rescue training and adoption organization has just opened its adoption drive to assist veterans, active military members, and first responders, who are looking to adopt a loving pet as a service or companion animal.

According to Kelli Porti, the Community Outreach Liaison for Paws of War, their mission is to rescue, train and place dogs who can assist our veterans that suffer from the emotional and physical effects of war.

“Our rescues come from all over, mainly from the south but also from overseas, including Ukraine, and even from puppy mills,” said Porti. “The new owners can experience the unconditional love only a companion animal can bring.”

Paws of War recently expanded their program to include first responders and nurses, who were hit hard during the Covid-19 Pandemic. One such nurse is Josette Thomason, a nurse in the Step-Down Unit at Mather Hospital in Port Jefferson. Thomason, who was there with her two daughters, said “I’ve been looking to do this since I had to put my dog down a while ago.” Thomason, who prefers small dogs, was already holding Tito, a male Chihuahua of underdetermined age.

According to Robert Misseri, co-founder and president of Paws of War, the organization has been around since 2014, when they began rescuing dogs from Afghanistan. Since that time, the program has expanded to include sheltering animals, daily care, medical care, service training, and other programs. While Nesconset is their headquarters, there are two satellite centers in North Carolina and Florida. A no-cost mobile veterinary clinic is also available on Long Island to service the adopted dogs.

“Since 2014,we have brought over 300 dogs and cats, rescued by our troops serving overseas to safety in the US,” said Misseri. “In addition, we have provided hundreds of Veterans with service and support dogs rescued from kill shelters.”

Prospective owners fill out an application and undergo a vetting process before an adoption can be finalized. Additional training for a therapy or service animal is completed in tandem with the owner, once an adoption is finalized. Currently, there are nine dogs up for adoption.

Paws of War depends entirely on donations to support their operation. Expenses include rent, utilities, vet care, food, and other costs. “There is never a cost to prospective owners,” explained Porti. Volunteers are available to assist at the Nesconset Center. 

Paws of War has a website, https://pawsofwar.org/, where visitors can learn about the various programs, peruse upcoming events, find out how to get involved or donate, and subscribe to the newsletter.