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“WHEN YOU THINK about soldiers being deployed, most people don’t think about what will happen to their dogs. It’s nice to know there are people like this out there.”

By Bill O'Boyle boboyle@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
Bill O'Boyle on Facebook   |   @TLBillOboyle on Twitter

When soldiers go off to war, they leave behind loved ones who anxiously anticipate their return.

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Laurie Lyon, co-owner of Canine Corps in Landisburg, washes dog blankets as she is surrounded by dogs in the sanctuary. Her goal is to help deployed soldiers by caring for their dogs until the soldiers return from duty. A new building opened in September to care for the dogs, and more have arrived since. These days it could use donations and volunteers to help with its charitable work on behalf of the troops. She takes only dogs from Pennsylvania, but hopes to see similar facilities open in other states.

FRED ADAMS/FOR THE TIMES LEADER

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Laurie Lyon, Kevin McCartin and volunteer Lamar Anderson play ball with the dogs in a room filled with couches for the dogs.

FRED ADAMS/For THE TIMES LEADER

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Sometimes those left waiting have four legs and an unconditional love for their departing masters.

Some soldiers called to duty don’t have anyone to take care of their dogs while they are deployed. Options are limited for dog owners – they can pay to board their pets at a kennel, or they can take them to a shelter where they may or may not be adopted.

Or they can take them to Canine Corps in Landisburg, Perry County, where Kevin McCartin and Laurie Lyon own and operate Paw Prints Dog Sanctuary. The two established Canine Corps in November 2007, as a place where soldiers being deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan could bring their dogs.

McCartin and Lyon provide the soldiers’ dogs food, shelter and veterinary care free of charge.

It puts the pet owners’ worries at ease – as Sgt. Ryan Zagata, of Wilkes-Barre, can attest. Zagata is a member of Bravo Battery 1/109th Field Artillery, Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

Zagata left his two beagles – Mollie, 9, and Billie, 4 – at Canine Corps for four months while he trained with the 109th Field Artillery.

“It’s an outstanding service,” Zagata said. “This is something that’s often overlooked. When you think about soldiers being deployed, most people don’t think about what will happen to their dogs. It’s nice to know there are people like this out there.”

If it weren’t for Canine Corps, Zagata said he would have had to pay to put his “girls” in a kennel.

“Three other soldiers in my unit who will be gone for a year will use Canine Corps to take care of their dogs,” Zagata said. “I told them I received periodic e-mails updating me on how my dogs were doing. Kevin and Laurie are going to start providing Web links so soldiers can see their dogs at the facility while they are deployed. They are true animal lovers.”

Number of dogs to increase

Lyon and McCartin are both retired; their spouses work and are supportive of the sanctuary. McCartin, an ex-Marine, said 16 military dogs are at the shelter now and six more are scheduled to arrive shortly.

A new 2,400-square-foot building opened in September to house the dogs. The floors are heated, much to the delight of the tenants. McCartin said the building was built by the Amish community at far less than what it would have cost on the open market.

There are no cages, but the shelter has plenty of soft comfortable couches for lounging. Play areas are fenced in for security reasons and there are special “potty” areas that the dogs utilize faithfully.

Volunteers come to the shelter daily to play with the dogs.

“I like soldiers and I like dogs,” McCartin said in explaining the motivation behind the service.

Lyon said the shelter also takes in older and special needs dogs. Most of them come from shelters.

“If we didn’t take them in, they would be euthanized,” Lyon said. “Older dogs and dogs with disabilities take longer to adopt out, if at all. I’ve always been a dog lover and I always wanted to do something to help them. I’m fortunate to have a husband who can financially support my habit.”

Lyon and McCartin said Dr. Alan Kirmayer of the Animal Hospital of Rye donates most of the veterinary costs.

“We still pay out several hundred dollars a month for vet care,” Lyon said.

Canine Corps only takes in dogs from Pennsylvania, but Lyon hopes similar shelters will be started in every state.

“We’ve gotten much more attention since our national exposure, but we can only help so many,” Lyon said. “We did hear from a woman in Iowa who has already started a campaign to open a sanctuary there. Nationwide, thousands of dogs are put down every day and that is sad.”

Volunteers, donations help

Lyon and McCartin met at a dog park and became friends. They traveled to Louisiana to help care for dogs displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

“We provide about 80 percent of the funding and we get about 20 percent in donations,” McCartin said.

McCartin knows all but his very newest tenants by name -- Hercules, Angel, Rocky, Sheba, Creedence, Laykin, Jeremiah, Lily, Corky, Zulu, Checkers, Joey, Ranger and Merry. He and Lyon can tell a funny story about each. They know what medication each dog takes and what kind of food they like.

The organization needs volunteers and supplies. If a family or individual would like to help for a day or weekend, they are urged to call and/or contribute.

“It’s a great place,” Zagata said.

McCartin said he and Lyon will care for a soldier’s dog until he or she returns from duty. If a soldier is injured, their dog will be cared for “until they are whole again,” McCartin said. And if a soldier doesn’t return, McCartin said the dog will be cared for at Canine Corps until its life is over or it is adopted.

“Some soldiers have willed their dogs to us, but that’s not something we like to think about,” McCartin said.

Vince Sweeney, executive director of the Luzerne County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Plains Township, said McCartin and Lyon deserve credit. “We have had service people who have surrendered animals to us because they can’t care for them while they are deployed,” Sweeney said. “It’s a very difficult and emotional experience; it tears your heart out.

“Just think about it - on top of being sent into combat halfway around the world, you have to give up your best friend. It’s a heart-wrenching traumatic situation.”

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