American Humane Association

American Humane’s rescue team deploys to the sites of severe floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters, where our first responders work tirelessly on the ground to locate, shelter, feed and provide veterinary care to vulnerable animals in need. Local agencies and law enforcement authorities also request our help in responding to large-scale crises – such as hoarding cases, dogfighting, and puppy mills – that they cannot handle on their own.

Our emergency first-response units and fleet of six state-of-the-art rescue vehicles are always prepared and ready to deploy on a moment’s notice to rescue animals in danger. American Humane Rescue has saved, sheltered, and fed millions of lost, desperate, and hungry animals.

When our rescue team is not responding to disasters and cruelty cases, we host disaster preparedness trainings and provide free veterinary clinics for pets in low-income and homeless neighborhoods.

Our lifechanging Pups4Patriots service dog program pairs dogs in need of forever homes and trains them to be lifesaving service animals for veterans struggling from the invisible wounds of war.

One in five veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan is diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress and Traumatic Brain Injury, and more than 6,000 U.S. veterans take their own lives every year instead of enjoying the freedoms they fought so hard to protect. When even the best medicines and therapy fall short, trained service dogs prove to be their lifelines. Our Pups4Patriots program truly saves lives on both ends of the leash, providing help for the critical needs of veterans and finding forever, loving homes for dogs.

This program is offered at no cost to veterans and has been thoroughly tested and proven to effectively improve the lives of veterans and reduce the debilitating symptoms of PTS and TBI.

American Humane honors the lifesaving contributions of all veterans, including the four-legged military working dogs (MWDs) who risk their lives in courageously serving our country.

After many years of being classified as “equipment” with thousands of MWDs being disposed of or left overseas, American Humane worked with Congress to require that MWDs be brought back to U.S. soil upon retirement and that their handlers and their families be given first rights of adoption.

Unfortunately, these canine veterans are still sometimes separated from their human counterparts, who cared for and fought alongside them on the battlefield. American Humane is committed to reuniting these retired hero dogs with their former handlers.