A Pets For Vets Match Story

Thomas and Rocky

While serving with the U.S. Marine Corps from July 1973 to June of 1975, Lance Corporal Thomas Manley was deployed to both Vietnam and Cambodia where he assisted with the evacuations of the U.S. embassies in those countries.

In June 2016, the Chicagoland Chapter of Pets for Vets matched Thomas with a Ridgeback-Hound mix named Rocky Balboa. The two couldn’t be happier together. "Rocky is my buddy - he's playful and energetic and he very quickly made friends with all of my neighbors," says Thomas. "He enjoyed the tetherball he received in his backpack and was proud to show me when he quickly wore it down to just the cord!"

National Matches

Other Matches From Around The Nation

Steven and Dozer

Specialist Steven Mangiameli's life changed the day he found a Pets for Vets brochure at the VA. Ten...

Learn More
Albert and His Dog

Albert Merkley received his interactive pet dog in November 2019.

Learn More
Austin and Leonidas

War can take its toll on people, and after serving the U.S. Army for six years, it was taking its to...

Learn More

Connect With Us

Receive Our National Newsletter

Pets For Vets On Social Media

Take Action