Dogtopia San Diego will host a countywide Charity Dog Wash to raise money for service dogs being provided to military veterans in need – Saturday, June 4 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Dogtopia is teaming up with Shelter to Soldier, which brings post-9/11 combat veterans together with trained, rescue dogs to help both heal and move forward.
The dog wash will take place at Dogtopia San Marcos, located at 925 W. San Marcos Blvd. (92078). This is Dogtopia’s 12th Annual Charity Dog Wash. Over the years, the charity event has raised more than $140,000 nationally for organizations that provide service dogs to military veterans in need.
Shelter to Soldier was founded in October of 2012 by Graham and Kyrié Bloem and Krystyna Holc. Graham’s expertise in training service dogs inspired the creation of this incredible nonprofit. Bloem personally identifies shelter dogs that are a fit for the program and then he and his team train the dogs to be ready to serve and assist approved veteran applicants. Once the connection of trained dog to veteran is made, lives are improved and issues such as post-traumatic stress are mitigated thanks to the incredible relationship, task oriented work and unconditional love of a dog.
“Every day, on average, 22 U.S. Veterans commit suicide (source: Department of Veteran Affairs). We bring hope and a renewed spirit for both the veteran and the rescued dog and in turn, the pair also helps one another,” says Graham Bloem, Shelter to Soldier Founder & Training Director.
San Diegans can get involved by making donations, or bringing their pooches in for a wash at a $15 requested donation. Additional grooming and a la carte spa services – such as brush outs, nail trims, ear cleaning, teeth brushing, flea/tick treatments – will be available for donations on a first come, first serve basis.
Back Alley Grill will be donating BBQ’d burgers and hotdogs to donors. The event will also feature dog training/agility demos, giveaways, photos, merchandise for sale, plus fun and games for the whole family.
Paws4Shots, a local mobile veterinary, will also be on-site 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., offering affordable, preventative veterinary care, such as vaccines and services for dogs and cats. Adoptable pets will also be available via the San Diego Humane Society and the Ridgebacks & Friends. For available dogs for adoption, please visit the San Diego Humane Society at http://www.sdhumane.org/how-you-can-help/adopt/available-pets/; the website is updated daily.
Dogtopia San Marcos is celebrating two years as new owners with customer appreciation toasts, snacks, wine and craft beer.
Dogtopia can help other non-profit organizations raise money through charity dog washes. Dogtopia is also looking for event volunteers. If interested, email [email protected]. For additional information on Dogtopia, visit www.dogtopia.com.
About Dogtopia San Diego:
Dogtopia is an award-winning national dog daycare, boarding and spa franchise committed to providing exceptional care to canines and their families at its 43 U.S. and Canada locations. Dogtopia prides itself on being a place where pets are valued as family and dogs enjoy playtime, spa treatments, and overnight stays in a positive environment. Dogtopia San Diego has three locations in San Marcos, Miramar and Temecula. For more information on Dogtopia, log onto www.dogdaycare.com.
About Shelter to Soldier:
Shelter to Soldier is a CA 501c3 nonprofit organization that adopts dogs from local shelters and trains them to become psychiatric service dogs for post-9/11 combat veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and/or other psychological injuries associated with combat service experiences. Shelter to Soldier is accredited by the Patriots Initiative, as well as a Gold Participant of GuideStar. Learn more by visiting www.sheltertosoldier.org.
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