Desert Dogs: Valley company gives back to veterans

PHOENIX - Pete Huijui waited a long time for this day.

"There were some really tough days because I was so active and now not to be active, but I believe that life has different challenges along the way," he said.

Pete joined the Air Force in 1975 and at one point, served at Luke Air Force Base.

"I did two jobs, actually. My first job was called security police – protected the base and anything else I was told to guard, from aircraft to buildings," he said.

After he retired, his health started to decline, making it impossible to keep up.

"I was buying stuff to resell the boxes, had to go somewhere, and I can't get out the front door, so I actually opened up the back door, tossed it back here," said Pete.

Pete Huijui

Five years of boxes of trash piled up. When Pete called Desert Dogs for help, they delivered.

"We do junk removal. We do home maintenance and repairs, and we do some commercial work," said Stevan Cunningham.

Cunningham started working for the company when he left the Air Force, where he served for eight years. Desert Dogs, he says, aims to better the community by giving back.

"I kind of had a difficult transition when I separated and Desert Dogs was kind of there for me, so they kind of everything I was speaking about. I know about it because they gave it to me first hand and so were able to turn around and pay it forward to others," he said.

About a year and a half ago, Desert Dogs started a program called "Hauling for Hope." It allows the crews to pick a veteran or family and offer free services.

Stevan Cunningham

"You're definitely welcome to submit people who you think qualify for the program, but just in our line of work, we tend to come across so many people that either know somebody or a lot of people reach out for a booking request or a quote, and that's how we sort of learn about their situation," said Cunningham.

The emotion Pete felt watching the Desert Dogs crew overwhelmed him. In a short amount of time, the trash was gone, the yard was once again usable. It's a feat he knows was not possible without his fellow veterans.

Desert Dogs
https://www.desertdog.dog/