Josh and Gimli

Josh is a former Tennessee National Guardsman that came to us looking for a companion that would be a good fit for his young family and help him feel more comfortable in public. He was wanting a pup that would get along well with his 3 year old twins and be a loyal and protective family member.

Gimli came to us via our partners at Longmont Humane Society (longmonthumane.org) after having been rescued out of New Mexico. Only about a year old, Gimli was most likely hit by a car at some point as he has a healed leg and pelvic fracture that have led to some muscle atrophy in his back leg.

When Josh and Gimli met, it was love at first site as you can see from the photo! Josh reports that Gimli is adjusting very well and bonding nicely with the entire family. He also seems to love having a soft bed to sleep in. Josh says, "I wish I had the words to explain how happy it makes me that there are decent human beings left in the world, and that I can help him get his strength back and bond with him!"

We are elated to share the match of Curtis and Quirky. Curtis was a Navy Seabee in the Vietnam War and was looking for a lap dog to keep him company. Since Curtis lives in an independent living facility, he needed a dog that loves people and could be comfortable around mobility devices like walkers and wheelchairs.

Quirky came to us from our partners at Low Riders of the West Small/Large Dog Rescue (https://www.lowridersofthewest.org/). Poor Quirky had ended up at a Texas shelter heavily pregnant. She was lucky enough to be pulled by a local rescue who helped raise, wean, and then adopt out her 5 puppies. She then made her way to Colorado and Low Riders of the West.

When tested, she was super loving, treat motivated, and very appropriate and not afraid of mobility devices. So Black Ops Rescue transferred her in for Curtis.

Quirky has provided more structure and purpose to Curtis’s days and she finally has the loving and attentive home she deserves. Curtis even told us that he spends a lot of his time thinking about how to make life easier for her. Both Curtis and Quirky have known some hard times but have persevered. We are honored to bring these 2 resilient souls together.

Maggie was originally placed with Dan, a Navy veteran. Sadly, Dan died of cancer in May of 2020 and Maggie came back to us. Dan’s last request was to find Maggie a loving new home. One of our fosters, Ken, a Navy veteran himself, was moved by Dan and Maggie’s story and offered to foster her until we found her new veteran. 

Maggie is one of those difficult to place dogs. On the surface, you see a strong, determined, black pitbull mix that needs to be an only pet. Originally pulled from an under-resourced local shelter, she was at high risk of being euthanized. Dan’s love and our mission to rescue dogs, even “difficult” dogs, are what saved her life. 

While fostering, Ken and his wife ended up falling for Maggie. How could they not?! Maggie is the funniest, most people friendly, and sassiest pup ever! She loves to cuddle on the couch and watch TV, really watching and vocalizing excitedly whenever an animal appears onscreen. Ken says she likes watching football too. And since Ken and his wife both work from home, she gets to be with her people all the time. Now nicknamed "Magpie" and "the Velvet Hippo", Maggie will be loved and spoiled for the rest of her days. You can rest easy, Dan; Maggie is home.

Bo wanted a smaller pup that could be a hiking buddy and wouldn’t intimidate the family cats. He also wanted his young son to grow up with a pup. Through our partnership with The Good Dog Rescue, we found Tango, a 3 month old puppy and the perfect fit for Bo’s needs. 

Tango’s pregnant mother was pulled by The Good Dog Rescue from an under-resourced shelter in Roswell, NM. She gave birth to her pups here in Colorado so Tango is officially a native. He is growing up exploring our beautiful Colorado mountains with his family. Tango even gets to go to work with Bo every day so they are always together. 

Tango has turned out to be quite the love bug. Bo tells us that he and one of the family cats are “basically married”. Their son calls Tango his “little brother”. And Bo’s wife, Rena, describes Bo’s relationship with Tango as “a love affair”. They can’t imagine life without him!

Wesley is an Army veteran, Infantry and Airborne. He and his wife have a very active lifestyle and wanted an adventurous dog that could keep up with them. Enter Wolfie! From Adams County Animal Shelter (now Riverdale Animal Shelter), Wolfie was an unclaimed stray. Our best guess is that he is a Husky/Kelpie mix, hence his athleticism and smarts. His timing is pretty good too, just in time for the 2019 Christmas holiday.

Wolfie’s willingness to learn and try new experiences has proved a good match for Wesley and his wife. From adjusting to apartment life, to learning commands for hug, sit, and heel, to running alongside Wesley on his bike, Wolfie continues to show how much he wants to understand and please his humans. He even went on his first camping trip. But learning is a 2 way street with this smart boy! When he wants to play, he mouths Wesley’s hand until he picks up a toy and when he wants to go for a run he nips at his heels. 

Wolfie also has a “Velcro dog” side and can be very affectionate, especially with Wesley’s wife. He acted as her snuggle buddy when Wesley had tours of duty, firmly attached to her hip. 

Wolfie’s devotion and companionship have truly enriched Wesley’s life. And Wolfie, a former stray, now has his forever family.  

Air Force veteran, Melissa was already fostering Nala when she reached out to us for help finalizing her adoption. Nala is a Galgo, a hunting dog breed related to greyhounds that are often abused and neglected in their native Spain. Thanks to our partnership with Daphne Legacy Tour, this beautiful girl is now safe in her forever home and living the good life. She has a dog sibling, Duke, and 2 cat siblings that she gets along with very well. 

Melissa shares that Nala has brought a whole new level of goofiness to her household, describing her as a giant cat in a dog body. She spins and smiles when she’s excited and has recently discovered the joys of belly rubs, which she demands by “roaching”. 

Nala has been a calming force in Melissa’s life. She can’t wait to get home from work to hang out with her. “She makes my life better. Whatever happened in the world is better when I get home to her.”

We are honored to share the match of Amber with Shadow. Amber is a Marine veteran who also happens to be transgender. Sadly, her choice to embrace her true identity was met with a lack of understanding among many of her friends and family. (We are respecting her wishes by only featuring Shadow in the photo.)

Shadow came to us from our partners at Chihuahua and Small Dog Rescue. She was very fearful of new experiences and needed a quiet home that would help her feel more confident and allow her to reveal her sparkle. 

Amber is helping Shadow learn to be braver in the world. Shadow is providing Amber with unconditional love and companionship, diminishing the loneliness she sometimes feels. Black Ops Rescue is proud to announce this very special match. 

UPDATE: Shadow and Amber have formed a close bond. Because of her trust in Amber, Shadow is becoming more confident in new situations. We love to hear about progress like this! It enforces our mission statement that pairing veterans with shelter pets provides "mutual hope and healing."

Harry is a Vietnam era veteran of the Navy where he was a tractor driver positioning warplanes on an aircraft carrier. Due to a TBI that affects his memory, Harry lives in an assisted living home and has a wonderful caregiver, Monique. His perfect match was George, an Oklahoma stray who found his way to Denver thanks to the Dumb Friends League and then to us. Now Harry has a buddy to keep him company and George has a loving home. We think they like each other.  

When we did our 3 month check in with them, we asked, "Is there anything we can do for you and George?" Harry replied, "Just find more dogs for vets. You make people happy!" Thanks, Harry. You and George make us happy.