Dan and Morgan

“It’s hard to come home sometimes”

...I have said those words to so many people in the years since my deployment that I can’t count them. And every time I say them I know only a veteran can really understand the depth of the true meaning of such a simple phrase. It’s hard to leave a normal that’s not normal at all. It’s hard to come home and try to be who you were before your deployment. But what I have found over the years is that it is most difficult to try to reconcile the two. To know that you have been two distinctly different souls, two hearts, with two completely different sets of norms and ideals is an overwhelming challenge to reconcile. For years I held that struggle inside and fought it on my own without even knowing the conflict existed. Thankfully, with the support and help of my beautiful wife Jennifer, I was able to reach out to Pets For Vets as a part of my final return home and it has made a HUGE difference already.

After contacting Pets for Vets, visiting with the angels they sent, talking about my needs and wants, we began the loooooooooonnnnnngggggg process of waiting to meet our Morgan. It was so worth the wait. After meeting Morgan I couldn’t help but wonder “What is he?”. So, we purchased a doggy DNA kit and sent it off and waited for the results. In the meantime I walked him twice a day, fed him, played with him, talked to him, loved on him and always got twice as much in return. We started to become inseparable as he follows me everywhere I go and I’m always reaching out to pet his head to show how glad I am he is with me. I like to show him off and take him with me everywhere I can and have found that I don’t mind the public spaces as much as I once did. I actually plan to go places just to take him with me. I have found that many places in our area welcome pets and I always find a reason to shop in those stores.

Jennifer and I recently got those DNA test results back. We now know what Morgan is. He is 80% German Shepherd, 20% Dalmatian and American Eskimo, and 100% gift from God. He has become my friend, my shadow, my partner, my ranger buddy, my battle partner, and the guy who always has my “6”. I don’t know how, but he makes me stronger, and for that, I can never be thankful enough. Thank you Marti and Pets For Vets. You pulled Morgan right out of his own death row in his kill shelter, sent him to me, and we are both better off for your work. Thank You!