America’s VetDogs and Amazin’ Mets Foundation Team Up to Co-Raise Fourth Future Service Dog, “Howie,” Honoring Legendary Mets Broadcaster Howie Rose
America’s VetDogs, a New York-based national nonprofit that provides specially trained service dogs to veterans and first responders with disabilities, and the Amazin’ Mets Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the New York Mets, are thrilled to announce they will co-raise a future service dog for a United States veteran or first responder with disabilities. The Amazin’ Mets Foundation has funded more than $200,000 in grants to America’s VetDogs to date. The New York Mets were the first-ever MLB team to raise a future service dog with America’s VetDogs.
Howie is a handsome 11-week-old, male, yellow Labrador Retriever, who will undergo basic training and socialization with the Amazin’ Mets Foundation staff and the New York Mets players and fans for the next 14 to 18 months. The pup will have a home in the Mets front office and attend select events at Citi Field to expose him to various environments that will help mold him into a confident and calm future service dog.
Howie the service dog is named in honor of legendary New York sports broadcaster Howie Rose. As Rose prepares to retire from his play-by-play role following the 2026 Mets season, the naming of future service dog Howie serves as a tribute to his extraordinary career and lasting impact on generations of Mets fans.
“America’s VetDogs is incredibly grateful to Alex Cohen and the Amazin’ Mets Foundation for their continued support,” said John Miller, president and CEO of America’s VetDogs. “The Amazin Mets Foundation’s generosity helps raise and train future service dogs for our nations and communities’ heroes while increasing awareness of the life-changing resources available to them at no cost. It costs America’s VetDogs more than $50,000 to breed, raise, train, and place a service dog, and support from Alex Cohen and the Amazin’ Mets Foundation helps make that possible.”