Veterans Pet Lifeline

Josh & Scout, A Mutual Rescue™ Film, 2017

Army veteran Josh Marino stepped outside with a goodbye letter in his pocket. It was a rainy night, and he had lived with invisible wounds after surviving a mortar attack in Iraq that left him with a traumatic brain injury, chronic pain, and PTSD. 

Josh’s injuries, isolation and despair had taken its toll. As he stood in the rain, ready to take his life, a small gray-and-white kitten appeared from the shadows and climbed into his lap. Josh named him Scout. 

That connection stopped Josh from going through with his plan. Their story later reached millions through the Mutual Rescue film “Josh & Scout,” showing the world how a pet can literally save a veteran’s life.

The Veteran-Pet Bond Saves Lives

Pets are not luxuries for veterans — they are lifelines. Millions rely on cats and dogs to steady their days, quiet emotional storms, and bring structure and hope. Yet most systems that serve veterans don’t recognize or support this vital connection.

Science confirms that pets improve mental health. But only when that bond exists alongside healthy human support. Josh’s story is a spark for a new national model to make that connection stronger for every veteran who needs it.

Building a National Movement  

Many veterans return with invisible wounds. Every day, 17 veterans die by suicide. Over 60% report regular loneliness, and 30–40% of post-9/11 veterans experience emotional distress that doesn’t qualify them for help. 

Their pain ripples outward. It can lead to broken marriages, drinking too much, or just fading away from life. Their spouses feel it. Their kids. Their coworkers. Their friends who stop hearing from them.

Veterans are struggling. Today, many veterans face challenges in maintaining pet ownership. Skyrocketing vet bills, housing challenges, and a lack of options mean veterans face impossible choices that break the bond keeping them grounded.  

The Veterans Pet Lifeline Model

We’re building a new kind of support system that merges compassion with science and community. We aim to help veterans keep and afford their pets, while restoring stability, connection, and purpose — the three things that keep veterans alive and engaged in the world.

In our early interview with combat veterans, we hear a top concern: when emergency pet costs hit, veterans are on their own.

This campaign changes that. Because pets give vets stability, routine, and purpose, a combination that leads to better overall wellbeing, for vets, families and communities. Our model includes the following to ensure veterans get the support they need:

• Crisis Response Grants: No vet should face emergencies alone. We save lives with fast micro-grants that save pets and prevent human despair.

• Have-Your-Back Squads: Peer-led small groups that turn pet companionship into connection and mutual accountability that goes beyond pet ownership.

• Crowdfund-in-a-Box: Crises benefit from preparation. We are developing tools to enable veterans to raise support quickly and with dignity in moments of stress. 

• Future Membership Model. A network of veterans and supporters advocating for affordable pet care, fair housing, and sustainable solutions.

We are proving that modest, targeted action can have outsized impact, with pilot programs in Pittsburgh, PA and Cape Cod, MA. 

These efforts form the foundation for a scalable national network, with veteran advisors, rescues, and local supporters. Each of these elements strengthens both the pet–veteran bond and the community behind it.

You may never fully know what it’s like to walk in their boots - to serve, to deploy, to return changed. 

People who risked everything on behalf of this country deserve more than a polite “thank you for your service.”

Your donation will save lives at both ends of the leash, that connects veterans into a shared system of care.

If You’re a Veteran

What we’re building is for you — a network of fellow veterans who look out for each other. Your support helps build something that could be there for you or a fellow veteran when it matters most.

Family Member or Friends

You’ve seen what your veteran carries — restless nights, quiet distance, pride that keeps them from asking for help. Your support keeps them connected, grounded, and surrounded by people who understand. This isn’t charity — it can save a life you care about.

Veteran Service Organizations and Advocates

This program is designed to work with you. Veterans helping veterans spot who’s struggling and encouraging them to reach out for help. By partnering with us, you’ll reach veterans who might never walk through your door on their own.  

Businesses That Support Veterans

Partnering with Veterans Pet Lifeline isn’t just the right thing to do. It’s smart. Our model links veterans with local business partners who can sponsor veterans, provide veteran discounts and other support that leads to customer loyalty and local and national visibility.

Donor Impact

Every contribution turns directly into action — funding the first emergency grants, building the peer-support network, and documenting data that proves this model saves lives. Your support lays the foundation for a national safety net that connects veterans, families, and communities through the animals they love.

With enough momentum, we’ll build a scalable model for veteran-companion animal programs across the country — programs that reduce suicide risk, ease isolation, and get animals out of shelters and into the lives of people who need them.

Join the movement. Share the mission. Build the Veterans Pet Lifeline.