York County pet adoption program waives fee for veterans

York County announced a new animal shelter program that waives the pet adoption fee for active duty, retired or honorably discharged veterans.

Pets and Vets partners military veterans with local animal control operations to provide pets for veterans who are active duty, retired or honorably discharged, according to a release from York County. It waives the adoption fee for one animal per year adopted from the York County Animal Shelter and off-site events.

Adoption fees include spaying or neutering, microchip and vaccinations.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has acknowledged that owning a pet can reduce stress, aid in lifting a person’s mood and provide companionship. Programs like Pets and Vets are available in a number of other cities and counties in the United States.

“York County Animal Control is happy to be able to offer this program for veterans,” said Suzanne Edson, Animal Control supervisor. “This program is great in providing pets forever homes and giving back to veterans who have given so much for our freedom.”

The program is available to all veterans, even if they don’t live in York County. Participants will be required to show military ID, discharge paperwork or the DD214 form.

For more information, call 803-628-3190 or visit www.yorkcountygov.com.

This story was originally published September 27, 2016 at 4:27 PM with the headline "York County pet adoption program waives fee for veterans."