Helping Paws

06/18/2026

Somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, a U.S. Navy sailor is serving his country while worrying about the dog he left behind.

Gunner, a 7-year-old Labrador Retriever, has been struggling with a painful limp that’s slowly worsened over the last two years. While his owner is deployed, Gunner is being cared for by a retired Navy family who has done everything they can to help him.

They’ve already paid for veterinary visits and X-rays. They’ve searched for answers, and they’ve watched him become increasingly uncomfortable, but the advanced diagnostics Gunner needs remain out of reach. Gunner doesn’t understand deployments, military service, or financial hardship. He only knows that walking hurts.

Today, we’re asking for your help. Through Helping Paws Foundation, donations will help provide the diagnostics needed to determine what’s causing Gunner’s pain and create a path toward treatment and relief.

Every pet deserves comfort, every military family deserves support, and every donation makes a difference.

To donate, visit the link in our bio.

Helping Paws keeps military families united with their pets by providing low and no cost veterinary care for troops and veterans in need.

06/08/2026

Happy National Best Friends Day!

They don't care about your rank, your bank account, or your bad days. They just care about you.

There's no friendship quite like the one between a person and their pet. No judgment. No conditions. Just unwavering loyalty and a wagging tail or a slow, dignified blink, and a love that asks for nothing in return.

At Helping Paws Foundation, protecting that bond is everything we do. For Veterans, active duty military, and families facing financial hardship — we make sure that cost is never the reason a best friendship ends too soon.

Today, give your best friend an extra squeeze. They've earned it — and so have you.

Know someone who might have the means to help? Please forward this post. Dr. Mohnacky's $20,000 Matching Gift Campaign is still going on and their gift will effectively be DOUBLED! Thank you so much.

www.helpingpawssandiego.org

06/04/2026

Attention: Today is your PERMISSION SLIP.

June 4th is National Hug Your Cat Day, the one day a year your cat officially has to tolerate your love. (Results may vary. We are not responsible for any side-eye, slow blinks, or dramatic escapes.)

At Helping Paws Foundation, we know that the bond between you and your pet is no joke; it's healing, it's real, and it's worth protecting. We work every day to make sure Veterans, active duty military, and low-income families never have to lose that bond due to the cost of veterinary care.

So go ahead. Give that kitty a squeeze. You've both earned it. Know a military family or Veteran whose cat needs care? We're here. www.helpingpawssandiego.org

05/28/2026

Luna is home!

This 8-year-old girl came to us in crisis; rushed in with pyometra, a severe and potentially fatal infection that required emergency surgery to survive. Her owner, a Marine Corps Veteran, couldn't afford the care she desperately needed. When he reached out, he didn't talk about himself. He talked about Luna. About how she's been by his side through everything.

Today, Luna is home recovering with the person who loves her most because donors like you made it possible.

Her surgery bill is $3,101.85. So far, our community has raised $665 toward that goal. We're not done yet and here's the good news: Dr. Craig Mohnacky is personally matching every dollar donated, up to $20,000. Your gift today goes twice as far!

At Helping Paws Foundation, we believe caring for a Veteran's pet is caring for the Veteran. Luna is more than a dog; she is comfort, stability, and family.

Help us close the gap for Luna and for every Veteran who needs us next.

05/23/2026

This Memorial Day, we remember. We honor the brave men and women who gave everything so that we could have everything. Their sacrifice is immeasurable, and their memory is eternal.

At Helping Paws Foundation, we carry that spirit of service into our work every single day. The Veterans and military families we serve have already given so much. We believe they should never have to choose between their own financial struggles and the health of the beloved pets who bring them comfort, companionship, and joy.

To every Gold Star family, to every Veteran, to every service member who never made it home, thank you. We will never forget.

05/21/2026

🐾 Meet Mochi 🐾

Mochi recently underwent life-saving surgery for a possible foreign body and peritonitis and is still fighting hard in the hospital. 💛

Thanks to Helping Paws Foundation, Mochi is receiving the critical care he needs. Every share, thought, and donation helps give this sweet boy a chance to heal.

05/08/2026

🐾Chaos is only 3.5 months old, but he’s already fighting a battle no puppy should have to face. What was thought to be a routine hernia repair turned out to be a severe abdominal wall defect requiring advanced surgery to save his life. For his owner — an Army veteran managing a 90% VA disability rating — the estimated $4,000-$6,000 procedure simply wasn’t possible alone. That’s where Helping Paws stepped in.

Because of donor support, Chaos now has access to the specialized care he needs and the chance to grow up healthy, loved, and safe with his family.

At Helping Paws Foundation and Mohnacky Animal Hospitals, we believe caring for a veteran’s pet is caring for the veteran. The bond between people and pets can be life-changing — especially for those who have served our country. 🇺🇸

✨Right now, Dr. Craig Mohnacky is personally matching every donation dollar-for-dollar up to $20,000.

Your gift today helps pets like Chaos get a second chance — and reminds local veterans that they are not alone. Visit the link in our bio to learn more!

https://givebutter.com/2026-matching-gift-g9gpib

05/01/2026

🐾Harley got a second chance because people showed up.

When Jay, a U.S. Navy veteran, learned his 13-year-old dog Harley needed urgent surgery, he was facing an impossible situation. The cost was out of reach, even after exhausting every option.

But our community stepped in. Through Helping Paws, Mohnacky Animal Hospitals, and the friends and family who rallied around their GoFundMe, Harley got the care he needed—and made it home.

Now, Jay has chosen to donate the $346 raised for Harley back to Helping Paws… to help another family. And with Dr. Mohnacky matching every dollar, that gift instantly doubled to $692.

That’s how impact grows.

✨Now it’s our turn. Dr. Mohnacky has pledged to match up to $20,000 in donations. ✨

Give today and be part of the next story! You can join our fundraiser by visiting this link: https://givebutter.com/2026-matching-gift-g9gpib

03/13/2026

Two months into 2026, and the numbers tell a powerful story. 💙

In January and February, the Mohnacky Animal Hospitals and Helping Paws Foundation family showed up in a big way for the pets — and the people — who needed us most.

🐾 69 no-cost exams for military pets
🐾 127 no-cost vaccinations for military pets
🐾 188 low-cost spays & neuters
🐾 51 low-cost wellness exams for families in need
🐾 Six no-cost surgeries for military pets, valued at $10,154

That's two months. That's real impact.

Together, locally owned Mohnacky Animal Hospitals and the Helping Paws Foundation exist for one reason: so that no service member, veteran, or low-income family ever has to surrender or lose a beloved pet simply because they can't afford care. Our hospitals provide the care. The Foundation funds the gap. And our community makes it all possible.

Responsible Pet Care, Made Affordable

Want to help us do more? Learn about the Helping Paws Foundation at HelpingPawsSanDiego.org 🐾

03/04/2026

🐾 Supporting Our Local Rescue Community

With support from The Helping Paws Foundation, the team at Mohnacky Animal Hospital of Escondido recently completed five spay and neuter procedures in a single afternoon for Soulmate Animal Rescue, helping the organization continue its lifesaving work.

Affordable access to these essential procedures allows rescue partners to focus their resources where they matter most — caring for animals and finding them loving homes.

Programs like this are made possible through the Helping Paws Foundation’s mission to expand access to veterinary care for service-connected pet owners, low-income families and the rescue community.

The effort also earned the Mohnacky team a five-star Yelp review from the grateful rescue partner, recognizing the compassion, professionalism, and commitment shown to both animals and the people who care for them.

Together with Mohnacky Animal Hospitals, we’re proud to help with...

🐾 Responsible Pet Care, Made Affordable 🐾