Dog News

Homeless Vet and His Dog Bike Across the US and Back for Other Homeless Vets and Their Pets

by Fred

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A man by the name of Harold Palmquist is trying to change life not just for himself and his dog, but for the other estimated 40,000 other homeless vets across the United States.  With his faithful pooch behind him, he’s biking across the US and back again, with the hopes of raising money and awareness to the cause.

“I was an aircraft armament systems specialist… I’ve been to Korea, Arizona, Texas.  When I got out of the service I got married.  I had two boys.  I got divorced,” said Palmquist.  “That’s where the downhill part of my life started happening.”

At that point, he was living in the taxi he was working in to try to stay afloat.  It wouldn’t last however, and soon he found himself completely homeless.  We he tried to get into a shelter, they told him it was no problem, but he couldn’t bring his dog, Daisy with him.

“I called Veterans and Their Pets and they offered my dog a homeless shelter– adoption or fostering, so my dog had a place to live and I had a place to live,” said Palmquist.

Daisy was taken in, but instead of getting back on his feet straight away, he realized that he had been presented with an opportunity.  He decided to take the time to raise awareness for the cause of so many other men and women who were made a promise by the government and didn’t really get to see things through for a number of reasons.

“I can do this and I can show people veterans will stay on the street instead of parting with their animals,” said Palmquist.  “I had my bike, how am I going to hall the dog… bought myself a trailer, and the dog crate I had with me.  That’s why it kind of looks homemade like this and we crossed the country.”

His trip started off in Los Angeles, California and ended up in St. Simons, Georgia.  There, Palmquist will turn around and go back the way he came.  You can follow Palmquist’s cross country trip on his Facebook page which you can get to be clicking here.  You can also help the cause by making a donation at his GoFundMe page by click here, or at the Veterans and Their Pets’ site by clicking here.