Friends of America's VetDogs, a Community Service Group

Friends of America's VetDogs …. A Community Service Group

Friends of America's VetDogs is an all-volunteer community service group founded in 2015 with the sole and express purpose of helping honorably discharged veterans get a service dog through America's VetDogs. The group is comprised of 35 active members who work tirelessly to bring awareness about America's VetDogs to the public and to generate funds to sponsor new assistance dogs for veterans and first-responders with disabilities. As of January 2025 they had sponsored and named 42 service dogs.

The group sponsored three puppies in 2015 ("Maddy", "Sarge" and "Pepi"); three in 2016 ("Sully H W Bush", "Sayville" and "Ruby"); four in 2017 ("Webber", "Florence", "Ballard" and "Navajo"); five in 2018 ("Brady", "Jennifer", "Jackson", "Kelley" and "Norris"); eight in 2019 ("Thornton", "Annabelle", "Sharon", "Kettles", "Byers", "Dewey", "Jay" and "Bones"); three in 2020 despite the pandemic ("Skip", "Mac" and "Sunrise"); three in 2021 (Desmond, French, and Carll); two in 2022 (“Tammy” and “Kyle”); five in 2023 (“McCain”, “Pilot”, “Paris”, “Livingston” and “Tundra”); five in 2024 (“Protector”, “Eugene”, “Hiroshi”, “Dakota”, “Dr. Mary” and “Dwight”) and with the community’s support hope to continue doing this for years to come.

As of December 2024, they had raised more than $250,000.  Friends of America's VetDogs members name each dog they sponsor to honor an unsung hero of our military; someone who has brought great honor or credit to our military; or someone who has significantly helped a veteran-in-need.

Their major fundraiser is a “Mega” Chinese Auction held every spring in Sayville (usually on the Saturday after Easter).  They also host other events throughout the year, have an informational tent at local community events and make informational presentations to groups on request.

For more information about this group (or to donate an item, etc.) please contact co-founders Cliff Miller & Patricia Summers either by phone (631-567-9493); by email (firehelmetmuseum@aol.com); by mail (Friends of America's VetDogs, Attention Cliff Miller, PO Box 18, Bohemia, NY 11716-0018); or see their Facebook page (“Friends of America’s Vet Dogs”). Questions or comments are always welcome.

Donations of any amount (which can also be in the form of a tribute 'In Memory Of' a loved one, or 'In Honor Of' someone as a birthday gift, etc.) can also be made by using the link immediately below. If you donate on this page using the link directly below, it will help the group to sponsor more service dogs, naming each to honor another hero.

 

About America’s VetDogs®


America’s VetDogs® is dedicated to providing service dogs, FREE of charge, to servicemen and women who have sacrificed so much for this country.  Since 2006, more than 350 assistance dogs have been trained and placed as guide and service dogs with disabled veterans of all eras. America’s VetDogs provides guide dogs with individuals who are blind or have low vision; hearing dogs for people who have lost their hearing later in life, service dogs for those with other physical disabilities, facility dogs that work with physical and occupational therapists as part of the rehabilitation process in military and VA hospitals, and PTSD service dogs to help mitigate the effects of PTSD in an effort to provide the emotional and physical support needed.

In 2013, America’s VetDogs became the second assistance dog organization in the United States to be certified by the International Guide Dog Federation and Assistance Dogs International – the Guide Dog Foundation was the first.

The cost to breed, raise, train, and place one assistance dog is over $50,000.  America’s VetDogs relies on contributions from generous individuals, corporations, service clubs and foundations. To learn more about America’s VetDogs and its services and programs, visit www.VetDogs.org
  • 20,603 Raised so far this year (2025)

 

   





To see a full list of all the puppies sponsored by
"Friends of America's VetDogs", click here .

In the News


Information about the Puppy Sponsorship Opportunity


Puppy sponsors have the opportunity to name a puppy that will be raised by a puppy raiser family. A puppy sponsor receives a photo and certificate of the puppy once it’s been assigned a name. The sponsor receives periodic updates on how the puppy is progressing in the program and will be invited to "Celebration Sunday" should the dog be scheduled to graduate from the program. This contribution is $6,000 and helps to cover a portion of the costs associated with breeding, puppy raising, and veterinary care. A dog sponsor will be listed in our annual report. We cannot offer a replacement for any puppies that are “career changed” out of the program. Medical and/or behavioral issues can prevent a dog from graduating on class. To learn more, download the Puppy Sponsorship brochure and application.