After one of his wife's childhood pets passed away, one Navy officer was able to help bring her joy thanks to a South Florida shelter's program that makes it easy for military members to adopt pets.
Petty Officer First Class Justin Mandigo adopted Roscoe, a 4-year-old Chihuahua mix, in January from Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League in Palm Beach.
"The first time we saw Roscoe, we met him and played with him but we looked over him. The next week that we came he was still there so we thought we would give him a chance," Mandigo said.
Mandigo also qualified for the facility's Pets for Heroes program, which includes free adoptions and other benefits for retired and active military.
"If it’s a dog they go home with, if it's a cat, it's our way of giving back," Peggy Adams CEO Rich Anderson said.
Since Veteran's Day last year, the Pets for Heroes program has adopted out 20 pets like Roscoe.
"If you think about the emotional impact that it has on your life, it outweighs everything else," Mandigo said.
