Former Marine Makes Puppy Pins To Support Disabled Veterans

Lori Ennis
by Lori Ennis
A former marine who started a patriotic pin making business after the terrorists attacks on America in 2001 has joined forces with a veterans organization to create dog pins that benefit a worthwhile charity.


Former Marine Andrew Dale began making patriotic pins as a hobby in 1999. When terrorists attacked America on September 11, 2001, he continued making the pins, but demand was so great, it turned from a hobby into a business.


Dale says that after the attacks, the world was different in many ways–his life was changed forever and the patriotism people wanted to express changed his business forever as well. Though he didn’t plan to have a business as a pin maker, he did, and he named his company The Pin People.


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Dale was medically discharged from the Marine Corps in 2004, and he and a portion of his unit who served on 9/11 were declared disabled veterans. As a vet, Dale feels that sometimes veterans are forgotten; after deployment and homecomings, their services are not always remembered.


Which is why Dale was excited to be contacted by America’s Vet Dogs, an organization that pairs veterans and first responders with physical and emotional support dogs. America’s Vet Dogs asked him to develop special pins that resemble “The Today Show’s” special pup Charlie. All profits of the pins ($10) go toward the training of emotional support dog. The pairing is a win-win for Dale, as he can show his pride for his country and support his fellow veteran service members.




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While Dale says his part of supporting veterans is just a little, if we all do a little, it turns into a whole lot. If you’d like purchase one of the pins you can do so here at America’s Vet Dogs–and remember that every purchase goes directly to training more service and therapy dogs for deserving vets!

Lori Ennis
Lori Ennis

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