The nonprofit FISH engages the food industry in serving military veterans who have sacrificed greatly to guarantee U.S. freedom. With the donations from the Three Dog Bakery Veteran's Day promotion, FISH will purchase service dogs to distribute to veterans in need.
Returning military personnel and veterans face a myriad of challenges that can be aided with the use of a service dog, from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to immobility. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the U.S. has 1.6 million veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, 21 percent of who suffer a service-connected disability.
Service members and veterans are provided with highly specialized service dogs that help them find a new level of independence in their post-combat life. Service dogs are specially-trained to help perform a multitude of tasks that increase the independence of their human partners. People paired with service dogs show significant improvements psychologically, socially – even economically.
Service dogs are in high demand, with wait times up to three years. Training begins when the dogs are young. These highly trained canines work on average eight to 10 years before they retire.
With 50 million dog owners in the U.S., Three Dog Bakery believes the necessary financial support to provide service dogs affirms the many benefits provided by living with a dog and is a tribute to its loyal customers, the four-legged friends who press their noses up against the bakery glass or who enjoy their treats at home. Three Dog Bakery will pioneer this annual tradition just as it did the canine bakery concept 25 years ago – that's 175 years in dog years! Popular among canines and their owners alike, its products feature a diverse array of premium, all-natural, made in the USA treats and food for those special times in a dog's or family's life.
Three Dog Bakery oversees 34 boutique bakeries for dogs, located within the United States, Canada and Hong Kong, and is known for its custom-made baked treats. The company provides Three Dog Bakery brand and private label packaged products to national and independent pet retailers, grocery, mass, club and drug stores, as well as through direct-to-consumer online sales. Among its most popular products within that retail segment are baked treats, like the Classic Crèmes and Lick'n Crunch cookies. www.ThreeDog.com.