It started with a soldier crying on the sidewalk outside a Philadelphia shelter, surrendering his dog because his deployment orders were running out and no one could take her. Buzz Miller watched it happen and decided that should never be the choice.
In 2011 Miller founded what is now Operation Foster, a free nationwide network of volunteer foster families who care for the pets of military members during deployment, training, or extended medical care. Since then, more than 3,500 pets have been fostered and reunited with their people across all 50 states.
Here’s how it works. A service member applies, a foster family applies, and Operation Foster matches them and runs home checks. Placements typically last six weeks to two years. The foster family handles daily care, the owner covers food and vet costs, and the goal is always reunification.
That last part matters more than it sounds. Research on veterans and dogs shows the bond measurably lowers PTSD symptoms and anxiety. One veteran put off inpatient mental health care because no one could watch his dog. After a foster family stepped in, he went into treatment.
What this means for you: if you serve and face a deployment, there is an option between keeping your dog and surrendering them. And if you have room in your home, fostering holds a relationship together for someone who can’t be there to do it themselves. It’s the bond our dogs teach us about every day. The full story at Dogster has more on how to apply.