Chad's Promise: Nonprofit provides free boarding for veterans' dogs during hospital stays

Charity cares for dogs owned by hospitalized veterans

FOX 13's Carla Bayron shows us how a non-profit in Plant City is offering a safe haven for the dogs owned by veterans.

Plant City, Fla. - The nonprofit, Chad's Promise, is unique in that it offers a free safe haven for dogs while their veteran owners are in the hospital.  Chad Landry and his partner, Tracy Swinscoe, run a dog training business in Plant City.

The backstory:

"I joined the Army in 2001, two months after 9/11," said Landry.  As an Army veteran, Landry was well-connected with other veterans who needed help boarding their dogs during hospital stays for medical or mental health treatments. Thus, their nonprofit, Chad's Promise, was born.

"I always ask, Why do you need help? Is the VA not paying for that? Or you can't board, or you don't have friends or family?' These guys are transplants from other states; sometimes they don't know anybody here, and the dog is the only thing they have," he said.

Today, hospitals and animal control agencies call the nonprofit when dogs are at risk of being surrendered.

Landry and Swinscoe provide the animals with a safe haven so they don't get adopted or put down until their veteran owners can reunite with them. And the veterans don't owe them a dime.

Landry and his co-founder say their nonprofit is likely the only one that's carrying out this mission throughout Central Florida.

Missy Kester has been a volunteer here for four years. She says the best part is seeing the reunions between the veterans and their pets. "The veteran will tell us, 'You saved my life. You helped me get fixed, get my medical under control,'" said Kester. "They get their best friend back, and usually the veteran's in tears, I'm in tears. The dog won't stop wagging its tail, and it's so fulfilling to see."

Big picture view:

Landry envisions a future where this program is available near every VA facility.  "At the end of the day, it's the veteran who's smiling, he's happy and telling everybody what we do," said Landry. "That's what I feel good about." He's making sure the bond between our heroes and their best friends is never broken.

What you can do:

Currently, Sun Coast Credit Union is offering a matching donation program, where they will match each dollar donated to the nonprofit up to a total of $5,000.  You can learn more on their Facebook page.

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