Specialist Samantha joined the National Guard and served one year in Iraq. While on her tour she met her husband, Specialist Marshall who is serving in the Army. As a result of her time in Iraq, she was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder making readjustment to civilian life more difficult. Samantha heard about Pets for Vets through the Transition’s Center at the VA Long Beach. She informed me that she wanted a dog that would help with everyday stress as well as a companion that she can focus on when her husband has to return to Iraq.

Rambo was donated to the Pets for Vets program by the Animal Advocates Alliance. Rambo, an 85 pound, ten month old, mastiff/boxer puppy, was surrendered by his previous owner at the Baldwin Park shelter; making it a high probability that he would be euthanized quickly. When the Pets for Vets trainer and behaviorist, Clarissa, met this amazing dog she knew he would be a perfect fit with Samantha and Marshall. Rambo needed extra TLC to nurse him through a respiratory infection and giardia. He bounced back quickly and excelled at hisbasic obedience training.

When Samantha and Marshall met Rambo for the first time they said it was true love and that he was even more perfect than they ever could have imagined. Everybody who witnessed this special occasion could not stop smiling!

After receiving Rambo Marshall said "Rambo was better than I had imagined. We could not have picked a better dog if we had done it ourselves. I could tell that the Pets for Vets team really cares about what they are doing, it is not just a job. Clarissa took parts of each of us and our personalities and picked a dog that suited us both. Rambo is a part of both of us. We didn't just get a dog we made life long friends. Thank you."