Injured U.S. Veteran denied his service dog

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Animal Advocates

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An injured veteran denied his service dog.
Pfc. Adrian Garcia, (19 yrs. old) an Army veteran who lost his legs in combat back in March when a rocket propelled grenade hit his Humvee. Garcia is now staying at the Fisher House, a place for injured veterans to recover. However, he is being denied his new fully trained service dog "Moukie"!
Army officials will not let him keep his service dog by his side while he recovers! It is a critical time for Moukie and Garcia as they are still bonding, and for a service dog and their handler this is very important.
"I can understand how they don't allow pets, but she is a service dog and she is trained," Garcia said. Garcia is asking the U.S. Army to make an exception and allow him to keep his service dog by his side.
"In crowds, she will help me with balance and with overall demeanor," said Garcia. "She is always there to love me."
If Garcia can't have Moukie with him, he may have to suffer and leave the Fisher House.
He has said he doesn't want to have to leave the Fisher House because it's beneficial to him and his family. We should not tolerate our injured veterans being refused any help, including a service dog.
Service dogs are a critical part of the recovery process and a life change to help someone like Garcia with their day to day living.. Please sign this petition! Garcia should not be denied his service dog while recovering in the Fisher House.

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We signed the "Injured U.S. Veteran denied his service dog" petition!

# 872:

2:11 pm PST, Dec 16, Terrie C. Williams, Texas

# 871:

9:17 pm PST, Dec 2, Laura Rodrigues, Portugal

# 870:

1:42 pm PST, Nov 29, Terry Slayden, Texas

# 869:

8:02 am PST, Nov 28, Nancy McIntyre, Canada

# 868:

12:24 pm PST, Nov 27, Treasa Lassell, United States Minor Outlying Islands

# 867:

9:55 am PST, Nov 26, Amy Keene, Michigan
No better way to recover quicker than have a dog by your side. LET HIM HAVE HIS DOG!!!

# 866:

9:37 am PST, Nov 26, Makrina Gray, United States Minor Outlying Islands

# 865:

7:46 am PST, Nov 26, Paulette Pilon, Michigan

# 864:

5:59 am PST, Nov 26, William Maybee, Michigan
I am a Vietnam Vet, and we are losing the battle for our Vets. The goverment keeps making cuts. The new Vets are facing less then moderate care. Its very dissapointing, especially when you here a recruiter telling young men and women, all the glorious lies! Something must change! Bush you need to take care of your own!

# 863:

5:52 am PST, Nov 26, Bethlee Maybee, Michigan
If we never let the service dogs retire with there partner, were just adding to the unwanted dog list.

# 862:

11:01 pm PST, Nov 23, Rick White, California

# 861:

8:33 am PST, Nov 21, Lori Lockman, South Dakota

# 860:

2:02 am PST, Nov 21, Eva Lockery, Idaho

# 859:

9:50 pm PST, Nov 20, Ryan Shields, Arizona

# 858:

8:31 pm PST, Nov 13, Name not displayed, Tennessee

# 857:

6:45 pm PST, Nov 12, ELI ELLISON, West Virginia
WHY ARE OUR VETERANS BEING TREATED SLOWER AND WORSE THAN THE TERRORISTS AT GITMO BAY,CUBA??? OUR SOLDIERS,SAILORS AND AIRMEN ARE BUSTING THEIR BUTTS TO PROTECT THESE SORRY EXCUSES FOR HUMAN BEINGS(BRITTANY,PARIS,TERRELL OWENS,ROSIE THE FATMOUTH PIG,ETC,ETC,)FROM ATTACKS FROM THESE FANATICS. IF A VETERAN NEEDS SOMETHING(WHATEVER IT IS)HE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO HAVE IT. UNCLE SAM WANTS YOU,BUT AFTER YOU HAVE GOTTEN YOUR LEGS BLOWN OFF YOU IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY AND SEEN YOUR BUDDIES KILLED IN FRONT OF YOU OUR GOVT.TREATS YOU LIKE TRASH. YOU HAVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER WAR TO GET WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY DUE YOU AND PAID FOR WITH YOUR BLOOD THE TIME HAS COME FOR ALL VETERANS INJURIED OR HEALTHY TO GET OFF OUR ASSES AND START CALLING OUR ELECTED OFFICALS AND COMPLAIN. THERE IS 35MILLION OF US. WE NEED A NATIONAL SPOKEPERSON TO COME FORWARD AND START RAISING HELL EVERYWHERE WE CAN.IF VETS COME TOGETHER WE COULD TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK FROM THESE ASININE SO-CALLED KNOW IT ALLS.

# 856:

7:24 am PST, Nov 11, Jennifer Gardner, Florida

# 855:

9:52 am PST, Nov 10, HING Chieh, Texas

# 854:

10:33 pm PST, Nov 9, Aleasha Casaretto, Texas

# 853:

2:17 pm PST, Nov 9, Robert Gonzalez, Texas

# 852:

5:04 pm PST, Nov 4, Name not displayed, Mississippi

# 851:

12:23 am PDT, Nov 3, KRISTEN WILSON, Hawaii
I THOUGHT THIS WAS ONE OF MY FRIENDS FROM FT. JACKSON. I'M NOT SURE IF IT IS OR NOT. AND QUITE FRANKLY IT REALLY MAKES NO DIFFERENCE. A SOLDIER IS A SOLDIER AND I CANT EVEN PUT INTO WORDS HOW TRULY FRUSTRATING IT IS TO SEE SOLDIERS WHO HAVE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND THEIR CALL OF DUTY, NEARLY RISKING THEIR LIFE FOR A COUNTRY THAT DOESNT SUPPORT THEM ALL OF THE TIME, BE NEGATIVELY AFFECTED BY SOMETHING THAT IS SO SIMPLE TO FIX. HE'S NOT ASKING FOR MUCH, TO KEEP SOMETHING IN HIS LIFE THAT IS STABLE AND LOVING, UNLIKE THE PLACE HE HAS BEEN SERVING IN RECENTLY. GIVE HIM THE APPRECIATION THAT HE DESERVES.

# 850:

4:46 am PDT, Nov 2, SARA ALVAREZ, California
I THINK IT'S UNFAIR FOR GARCIA. I MEAN HE LOST HIS LEGS, HE ALMOST GAVE HIS LIFE, WHAT HARM CAN A DOG DO? IF IT'S GONNA KEEP HIM SMILING AND KEEP HIS MIND OFF OF WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM I THINK IT'S WORTH IT. MAN I CAN'T EVEN EXPRESS WHAT I FEEL.... IT'S UPSETING

# 849:

1:27 am PDT, Nov 2, Lady Of Gifts Smith, New Mexico
Please let Pfc Garcia have his service dog. I believe we must stand up for our soldiers after they come back from Iraq. After all they put their life on the line for OUR COUNTRY!! lET HIM HAVE HIS DOG!!!!!!! I am the Grandmother of a soldier who was deployed for a year in Iraq.Plus I am sure Pfc Garcia has enough mental anguish after all he has gone through.

# 848:

11:04 am PDT, Nov 1, Kim Honeycutt, New Hampshire

# 847:

5:41 am PDT, Nov 1, Charmaine Ford, United Kingdom

# 846:

1:13 pm PDT, Oct 31, Lisa McPherson, Texas
My son is in the army, 82nd ariborne stationed at Ft. Bragg, NC. At the moment he is in Iraq. Everytime I have gone to see him, I take my service dog with me and the army has never denied me access anywhere. My service dog was at his graduation and goes anytime we visit him. I am SHOCKED that the army would do this to an injured vet. They have been completely understanding of my service dog and allowed me access everywhere with Roxie. They already understand what a service dog is, and need to comply with Garcia's need for Moukie. They are violating his civil rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Garcia has the right acording to Federal Law to have Moukie with him at all times and the army is fully aware of this. Garcia needs to contact an attorney. Try the ACLU. This is a violation of his civil rights as well as Federal Law. Contact the Department of Justice. They are who you contact when ADA law is violated. SHAME ON THE ARMY!!!

# 845:

11:18 pm PDT, Oct 27, Name not displayed, France

# 844:

10:40 pm PDT, Oct 25, Andrea Hevron, New Mexico

# 843:

12:45 pm PDT, Oct 25, Gail Dasher, Alabama

# 842:

9:05 pm PDT, Oct 23, Edie Marshall, Virginia

# 841:

9:31 am PDT, Oct 18, Name not displayed, New York
I wonder how you will feel without someone taking care of you, no matter the species, while you are in bed sick. I dont think you'll recover as soon as you would if you had a loving caring pet, a pit, next to you!!!! Have some feelings please!

# 840:

8:16 am PDT, Oct 18, Kevin Barnes, Virginia

# 839:

10:31 pm PDT, Oct 17, Cynthia Charles, Virginia
Pfc. Adrian Garcia Put his life on the line for all of us.At least let him have his service dog.We all need love and loyalty.He's not getting it from the U.S Army so at least let him have his companion. Its a very small price to pay for putting one's life on the line for our country.I lose more and more respect for the president and our Military everyday.LET HIM HAVE HIS DOG!!!!

# 838:

7:33 am PDT, Oct 17, Michael Bench, Utah
I loss more and more respect for the VA and the president all the time. They are a joke!!!

# 837:

9:15 am PDT, Oct 16, Crystal Murphy, North Carolina
That's just like the VA!

# 836:

9:11 pm PDT, Oct 14, TAYLOR MCCONNELL, California
I FEEL THAT THERE IS NO REASON FOR A PERSON TO BE DENIED THEIR SERVICE ANIMAL. WOULD HE BE DENIED A SEEING EYE DOG IF HE WAS BLIND? TAYLOR MCCONNELL

# 835:

10:43 am PDT, Oct 14, David Peters, United Kingdom

# 834:

8:53 am PDT, Oct 14, Leah Nielsen, Minnesota
By taking the dog services away, what becomes accomplished? Haven'e the soldiers already did there part and if the small reward is an animal...Why would we stop there? We have plenty of dogs with no homes that would help here.

# 833:

8:04 am PDT, Oct 14, Name not displayed, Minnesota
It is time for the soldier and his companion to get a bond built. This soldier has fought and gave and now all the military wants is to take more? Got off it and work with your soldier that has given his all for all of us.

# 832:

12:41 pm PDT, Oct 13, Sean Noyes, Finland
As a US citizen residing in Finland, I ask that you please allow this service dog.

# 831:

3:22 am PDT, Oct 13, Nuntanit Bumrungsap, Thailand

# 830:

10:31 am PDT, Oct 12, Erik Ruiz, Texas

# 829:

10:13 am PDT, Oct 12, Sara Wright, Oregon

# 828:

10:04 am PDT, Oct 12, Lauren McKinney, Texas

# 827:

2:23 pm PDT, Oct 11, Teresa Talley, Texas
The bible says towards the end things will get worse and worse - this is a perfect example of Satan pushing the weak into doing his will. Wake up people - the dog is one of God's Angels!

# 826:

12:20 am PDT, Oct 8, April April, Texas

# 825:

9:02 pm PDT, Oct 7, Shawna Wagoner, Michigan

# 824:

12:34 pm PDT, Oct 6, Caroline O'Brien, Missouri

# 823:

7:33 am PDT, Oct 6, James Quah, Singapore

# 822:

3:49 pm PDT, Oct 5, James Black, California

# 821:

8:12 pm PDT, Oct 3, Paul Fish, Ohio
Unless you are against our fighting men and women, you need to provide them with what they need!!!

# 820:

7:09 pm PDT, Oct 3, Erica Hardy, Texas
Studies have shown that animals in your lives extend our lives and help heal the mind, body ,and, soul. Don't deny that. Peace to you always, Erica

# 819:

5:18 pm PDT, Oct 3, Wade Walker,III, North Carolina
Retired K-9 Handler..

# 818:

4:42 pm PDT, Oct 3, Name not displayed, Texas

# 817:

4:33 pm PDT, Oct 3, Michele Santos, Puerto Rico

# 816:

2:40 pm PDT, Oct 3, Larissa McSwain, Texas
Very disappointed in Fisher House. First negative thing I have ever heard about them.

# 815:

9:17 am PDT, Oct 3, Nancy Glaviano, Utah

# 814:

12:50 pm PDT, Oct 2, Michelle Czwakiel, New York

# 813:

12:39 pm PDT, Oct 2, Catherine Smalley, United Kingdom

# 812:

11:22 am PDT, Oct 2, Tracy McPheron, Florida

# 811:

7:02 am PDT, Oct 2, Desmond Brooks, Connecticut
Let him keep this dog. It will probally kill him if he lost it!

# 810:

7:01 am PDT, Oct 2, Jennifer Gondola, Connecticut

# 809:

5:54 am PDT, Oct 2, Name not displayed, Maine
Instead of impeding the progress of recovery and severly impacting the mental health of our injured veterans, the government and the VA in particular need to look at the whole person and what's best for their recovery, not just what fits within their guideline.

# 808:

10:04 pm PDT, Oct 1, Mia Ault, Arizona
Please allow PFC Garcia to keep his service dog. To disallow this because it is a "pit bull" is ignorant and stupid.

# 807:

8:49 pm PDT, Oct 1, DJ Kenney, Maine

# 806:

8:26 pm PDT, Oct 1, Courtneyann Taylor, Texas
Any form of breed discrimination is wrong!

# 805:

6:22 pm PDT, Sep 30, Judy Cat, Florida

# 804:

3:05 pm PDT, Sep 30, Meagan Davis, Delaware

# 803:

2:05 pm PDT, Sep 30, April Dawson, Florida

# 802:

3:38 pm PDT, Sep 29, Caitlin Watts, Texas

# 801:

8:31 am PDT, Sep 28, RACHAEL KING, Texas
Shame on the military. How would they react if it were their son or daughter that were injured. It has been proved that animals help people heal. Moukie is his angel on earth!!!!!!

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