Craig and Benny
We have been remiss on updating y’all about Buddy, now known as Benny. As you may remember, Benny is the 11 year old pup that needed an echocardiogram. We got good news there—though he has a grade 3 heart murmur, he does not require medication at this time, just a healthy lifestyle. He will need an echocardiogram annually to monitor his condition. We also discovered that Benny is incontinent at night. Luckily he doesn’t mind wearing a diaper since he sleeps in his human’s bed! Sadly, Benny’s veteran adopter began having severe health problems requiring frequent hospitalization. He came to the conclusion that, though he desperately wanted to have a dog in his life again, it wasn’t possible and would be unfair to a dog. We understood and agreed. So, what happened to Benny? Benny had been in foster care with Craig Hildebrand, Black Ops’ Veteran Relations Coordinator and an Army veteran himself. When Craig unexpectedly lost his own 2 beloved dogs in rapid succession to cancer and kidney failure, Benny was there. And now Craig needed Benny as much as Benny needed Craig. So we made it official. Benny is now Craig’s dog and he is home forever.
Keith and Baby Girl
Presenting Keith and Baby Girl!
Our military veterans have sacrificed so much to keep all of us safe. They literally put their lives on the line to protect our country. Often their commitment has taken physical and mental tolls on their body and mind. Shelter pets have experienced trauma too—the trauma of losing their home. By uniting veterans with shelter pets, Black Ops Rescue hopes to promote healing for both. The veteran gets a new best friend, a battle buddy if you will, and a shelter pet gets a loving new home.
Especially at Christmas, we are honored to recognize their service in this way. Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Cary and Sadie Bear
Cary is an Air Force veteran who proudly served for 14 years. He reached out to Black Ops Rescue looking for a new companion who would share his love of camping and be his road buddy. Enter Sadie Bear! Brought in as a stray to our partners at the Riverdale Animal Shelter, Sadie was nervous and shut down in the shelter environment. She was also matted and full of burrs requiring the not so stylish haircut. We knew she was the girl for Cary and scooped her up. She loves to be with him ALL the time, especially night time cuddles. Cary says Sadie Bear has helped ground him by being a calming influence. He feels less alone with her in his life. And her coat has grown out enough for her to have her first professional groom. Doesn’t she look pretty? Don’t let her fancy looks fool you though! Sadie Bear is always up for the next adventure as long as she and Cary are together!
David and Shadow
Shadow is home ❤.
When Shadow's veteran could no longer care for her due to health issues, she came back to Black Ops Rescue. We make a lifetime commitment to each of our clients, whether they have 2 legs or 4 legs. After several weeks in foster care with us, Shadow's new veteran found her on our Facebook page. Reading her story, he realized that by adopting her, he could not only give a dog a loving home but help bring peace of mind to another veteran. The ways veterans show up for each other is both admirable and touching.
When David saw Shadow's post, he knew immediately that she was destined to become part of his family. David is a Vietnam era Navy veteran who was looking for a new buddy. He has had many shelter and rescue dogs over the years and was undeterred by Shadow's shyness. Within a couple of hours of coming home, Shadow was exploring her new digs and even slept in the bed on the first night! Now several weeks in, we are happy to report that Shadow has blossomed under his care into a much more confident pup. David shared, "She took over! Seems like we've had her forever." She enjoys watching the world from her window seat, snuggling with David, and keeping her new yard free of squirrels. She's become a little "ball of fire", zooming around the house and yard and demanding pets with her tiny shovel nose. Her favorite time is breakfast when she gets to share a couple of Cheerios with her new dad. Best of all, she's brought new light and life to her veteran's life, alleviating his low moods with her antics and affection.
It truly does take a village to make these matches. From our supporters who shared Shadow's story on social media, to her foster parents that loved and worked with her during her transition, to our donors who make our mission possible, we are grateful for each and every one of you.
Sadly, David passed away in November of 2021. His widow Lola and Shadow find comfort in each other and honor his memory.
Tony and Bruce Wade
Introducing Tony and Bruce Wade! Tony came to us looking for a dog that would be both a good fit for his young family and could go on to be trained as a service dog. Enter Bruce Wade. In cooperation with Victory Service Dogs, we are happy to announce this match. Bruce's name is an amalgamation of some of Tony's heroes: Batman, Deadpool, and Bruce Lee.
Tony reports that Bruce fit right into the family. As a balanced mix of playful and couch potato, good with and protective of the kids, Bruce helps Tony feel more at ease. The loyalty, unconditional love, and companionship of a dog can greatly assist a veteran in many ways. Bruce helps relieve anxious feelings and facilitates more peace and calm in his veteran's life.
As Tony and Bruce begin their service dog training, we are happy and excited to see where their journey takes them!
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 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!"
Curtis and Corky
We are elated to share the match of Curtis and Corky. 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.
Corky came to us from our partners at Low Riders of the West Small/Large Dog Rescue. Poor Corky 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.
Corky 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 Corky have known some hard times but have persevered. We are honored to bring these 2 resilient souls together.
Ken and Maggie
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 and Tango
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 and Wolfie
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.
Melissa and Nala
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.”
Harry and George
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.
