Buddy, a husky mix, sailed out of a mobile pet groomer’s van to circulate through a group of people so they could pet his freshly washed fur.

The moment made U.S. Air Force veteran Frankie Rodela smile.

“This makes me happy,” said Rodela, who organized Tuesday’s outreach event at Vancouver’s largest homeless encampment.

In the early 2000s, Rodela started hosting Thanksgiving meals for homeless veterans. That effort then blossomed into year-round outreach to people living outside near the Share House Men’s Shelter in downtown Vancouver. On Tuesday, he partnered with Ruff Roads Mobile Grooming to bathe and tend to dogs living in the encampment. Rodela then finished off the week with a Thanksgiving feast.

Traci Freeman, who lives in the Share encampment, said she’s known Rodela for abou

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