96.9 WINK FM's "Pet for a Vet" raises $25,525 for SWFL veterans

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA — Southwest Florida just showed up big time for local veterans and their service dogs.

96.9 WINK FM's 5th Annual "Pet for a Vet" fundraiser blew past its $15,000 goal, raising $25,525 in just five days for Wolfhounds Legacy.

Logan and Sadie of the 96.9 WINK FM Morning Show spent the week sharing stories of local veterans and the service dogs that changed their lives, while listeners, local businesses and community partners donated to the cause.

Wolfhounds Legacy is a Southwest Florida nonprofit that rescues dogs from high-risk shelters and pairs and trains them with veterans and first responders, with a mission of saving two lives at a time.

Every $5,000 raised funds the rescue, care, pairing and training of one service dog team, meaning this year's total funded five full teams with money left over toward a sixth.

"We set a goal we thought was ambitious, and to see this community completely crush it is just amazing," said Logan. "Each story we shared this week reminded us that these dogs aren't just companions. They can completely change the lives of the veterans they're paired with."

The fundraiser started with a goal of $15,000, enough to fund three service dog teams, but donations pushed the total more than $10,000 beyond that by Friday morning.

"This fundraiser has always been about more than the dollars raised," said Sadie. "It's about giving a rescue dog a second chance while showing our veterans that this community stands behind them. To know that five more teams can be helped because Southwest Florida showed up for them this week is pretty overwhelming, in the best possible way."

Photos, videos and stories from Pet for a Vet are available on the 96.9 WINK FM Facebook page, and anyone looking to keep supporting Wolfhounds Legacy can visit wolfhoundslegacy.org.