(PRESS RELEASE) LOS ANGELES — Premium pet food and supplement industry leader, Dr. Marty Pets has supported the nonprofit organization, Freedom Service Dogs of America, since May of 2018. This sponsorship has benefitted Freedom Service Dogs of America, a cause that Dr. Marty Pets company founder, Dr. Marty Goldstein, has been passionate about for years.
“Throughout my career, I’ve dedicated myself to one mission: to help support our pet’s health through my unique, integrative approach to animal medicine, nutrition, and holistic, compassionate care,” said Dr. Marty Goldstein. “When I first learned of Freedom Service Dogs of America and their process of matching these amazing dogs to children with autism, disabilities, and difficult diseases, I was so impressed by their dedication to making the health and wellbeing of everyone’s lives better.”
Freedom Service Dogs of America is dedicated to transforming lives by partnering people with custom-trained assistance dogs. From supporting veterans with PTSD, children, and teens with autism and other neurocognitive disabilities, and individuals with physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injury, and more, the organization has graduated hundreds of client-dog teams and provided lifetime support to nearly 200 active teams, at no cost to clients.
One of the most recent examples of a Freedom Service Dogs client supported by Dr. Marty Pets is the story of Kenji and Bonus. Six years ago, Kenji had a terrible fall from a hammock suspended 20 feet above mountain rocks below. Making a truly remarkable recovery from a C5-C6 spinal cord injury, Kenji has not let a bit of life getaway. He lives independently and works as an editor for a scientific journal, including polishing and perfecting papers originally written in Japanese. Kenji and his Freedom Service Dog, Bonus, are learning to read each other and develop a bond using the most unique and sometimes frustrating language of all: dog body language! Kenji looks to Bonus for help with retrieving dropped items, opening doors, and getting help when he finds himself in a jam.
“I am so grateful for the long-term partnership with Dr. Marty Pets,” said Freedom Service Dogs Executive Director, Michele Ostrander. “Their amazing support has helped us partner 15 custom-trained service dogs with veterans with post-traumatic stress, children and teens with autism, and adults with mobility disabilities. The generous donations from Dr. Marty Pets are truly helping to change lives!”
In the spirit of the holidays, and this Giving Tuesday, Dr. Marty Pets invites pet parents to support this worthy cause. Freedom Service Dogs of America accept donations online here, and Dr. Marty Pets invites all who donate to share a photo of their pet on social media with the hashtag.