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Donation to Hounds and Heroes will help more veterans get a service dog

Posted at 5:39 PM, May 15, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-15 18:54:36-04

Frank Policastri and Stretch, a greyhound are inseparable.

"He's mainly for mobility and he was also trained for post traumatic stress. I don't have post traumatic stress but I can see how this dog can help," Policastri said.

The Army veteran says he was in need of a service dog after his vision started to fail. "I kept going downhill physically. I had a heart attack and they did an angioplasty with that.

"And I started having some other health problems but I was able to stay with the federal government until age 60."

Frank is grateful to "Hounds and Heroes"for Stretch's extensive training.

Preparing a dog for a veterancan be costly. The organization relies on donations.

"Hounds and Heroes" says just days ago, First Presbyterian Church in Delray Beach presented them with a $10 thousand check. The donation will help sponsor two new service dogs just like Stretch.

"There is really a lot that they do. there's a lot that they are trained for and there's just so much. they are very, very smart dogs, so much they pick up on their own," said Frank.