Pets for Patriots is a small charity, but we were able to mobilize 42,393 people* to save Rocky, a three-tour Iraq war canine veteran (*as of 8:15pm ET 8/18/11).
Your donations are needed to save more pets like Rocky: dogs and cats who will never become an overnight internet sensation or have major news media vying to tell their tale. These “last chance” pets – adult and other at-risk shelter dogs and cats – face near-certain death if not adopted. We connect them to veterans and service members who need a new pet friend, arrange access to reduced cost veterinary care and provide direct financial support towards the purchase of pet food and other basics. Your tax-deductible gift is necessary to help us save the next Rocky and, in so doing, transform the life of the veteran who chose to Be A Pet’s HeroTM.
UPDATE 8/18/11 9:25 AM ET: ROCKY IS SAVED!! We have been informed that Rocky will be adopted. Please DO NOT CALL Camp Pendleton, Lackland AFB or Pets for Patriots regarding his case; we are all overloaded with a deluge of inquiries about his plight. THANK YOU to all who have answered Rocky’s call and helped to assure his final years will be spent with a loving family.
*****
Rocky is a retired military dog who will be put down on August 24 if he’s not adopted. He served three tours in Iraq and desperately needs a loving home to enjoy his final years. Pets for Patriots is responding to a request to help create awareness of this veteran’s plight. We have spoken to authorities at Camp Pendleton in San Diego and confirmed this story.
Rocky currently lives at Camp Pendleton, his home base since entering the Marine Corps in 2004. He served three tours in Iraq between 2004 and 2007 as a patrol and explosives dog, and returned to the states. We had previously noted that his last handler was killed in theater, but have since been advised that is not the case. However, since returning to the U.S., he has not had a steady handler, but has continued to serve on base until March of this year. By that time, a degenerative condition rendered him unable to work and he was retired. Typically an ex-military K9 will be adopted by his handler, but Rocky has no handler to call his own.
The base kennels are not suitable to provide the type of ongoing care and attention that Rocky needs and deserves. And without an individual or family to adopt him, he will be put down. He was recently featured in an article about military dogs enjoying a bright future after service, but that’s not the case for him.
Because Rocky is a retired patrol dog, military protocol does not permit him to be surrendered to a shelter.
Like most military working dogs, Rocky is independent, but he has a sweet temperament and enjoys relaxing in the sun. As a result of his disability, he uses a canine wheelchair and needs assistance to do “his business.” He would do best in a family that can devote a lot of time to him, and that has no small children or other animals. As with many military canines, Rocky shows slight dog aggression. More than anything, Rocky needs someone who honors his service, and who will love and accept him.
Rocky is nine years, nine months old with these known medical conditions:
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia/Enlarged prostate
Mild hip dysplasia L coxofemoral joint, grade I
Bilateral coxofemoral DJD (mild)
Bilateral neurologic defecits rear legs – degenerative myelopathy
Pressure/kennel sores
P.S.: Our thanks to Military.com for sharing Rocky’s story in a hot rush!
P.P.S.: We welcome your comments, but if you use profanity or threaten another user you will be removed and blocked.
Why should we expect a dog to be treated any better by the US Government than they treat our military members. Having spent 20 wonderful years in the USAF I pass along the same advice I give young people that ask me, regularly, about making the Armed Forces a career; “it’s a tough life, but if they do away with the 20 year retirement do not go enlist!” Washington’s bureaucrat are totally clueless about the military life. America had better wake up, because if they continue decimating the US Armed Forces the draft will once again return. In the past two years we have already become a borderline top fighting force.
As far as Rocky, someone will step up, and my money is on the fact it will be a veteran or an active duty member.
Thank you all (minus a couple of idiots…you know who they are! (they apparently don’t!) 🙂 for such kindness and generosity. Hoping this guy gets the care he deserves, he has earned it! I really hate when there is so much negativity involving saving dogs lives. Lets save that energy for saving them please! Peace to all our military families out there. Thanks for doing what you do…and lets hope there is a day you don’t have to. Nothing but love, D
Lets get back on point, We are really getting off point here! Lets just accept that there is no end to stupidy and move on to whats really important, This beautiful Hero!!! First off (( No man left behind )) He was not left behind his brothers and sisters brought him home from war!! He was not left behind!! Lets put blame where blame is due our goverment does not take care of its Vets!!!
This poor hero lost his best friend, and now needs someone be it a retired Vet or civilian, it show him the love and respect he deserves!! And for the stupid ones out there…Yes I would take him in a heart beat but I already have 6 yes thats right 6 dogs 1 cat!! In the artical it states there can be not other pets in the home due to his Military training!!!! God bless our Men and Women and K9s, much respect and love to all of you…Thank You!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now lets rally and find our hero a home 🙂 🙂 🙂
Watching this closely from the United Kingdom. Rocky does not deserve to die, he’s a HERO. The person who is willing to take this dog on will get such a wonderful friend, ok, he’s got Degenerative Myelopathy, that’s not such a hardship, I adopted a DM dog myself and believe me, there is a lot of help out there with that, far more help in the USA than in the UK.
May Rocky get the loving home he truly deserves.
<3 <3 <3 for Rocky.
We are really getting off point here! Lets just accept that there is no end to stupidy and move on to whats really important, This beautiful Hero!!! First off (( No man left behind )) He was not left behind his brothers and sisters brought him home from war!! He was not left behind!! Lets put blame where blame is due our goverment does not take care of its Vets!!!
This poor hero lost his best friend, and now needs someone be it a retired Vet or civilian, it show him the love and respect he deserves!! And for the stupid ones out there…Yes I would take him in a heart beat but I already have 6 yes thats right 6 dogs 1 cat!! In the artical it states there can be not other pets in the home due to his Military training!!!! God bless our Men and Women and K9s, much respect and love to all of you…Thank You!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now lets rally and find our hero a home 🙂
We are a military family, Marines, which I’m guessing this dog is a Marine since hes on Camp Pendleton. I can’t believe anyone is saying it should be a service member who “steps up”. First off it would be an honor for anyone to have this dog. Now tell me this, obviously only a married service member could adopt this dog since single ones either live on base or work too much and won’t have the time to devote to this dog. How many married service members do you think there are with no small children who aren’t planning on having any? Also they don’t pay military much so most with no kids its likely the wife works. We also move around often, too often, and too far, that isn’t fair to this dog. And since I bet you have never in your life lived in a military town before I am sure you do not have any idea what it’s like to try to find a home that accepts pets, or dealt with the bs they put us through on move out inspections, breed restrictions in these towns. Our husbands also deploy, how many wives out there can take care of this dog alone, I can’t pick him up any time he needs to go somewhere that isn’t wheelchair accessible. Think before you speak, or just continue to be an ignorant and clueless member of society who shouts out their unwanted opinion every chance they get, you have that right, but you don’t even deserve to have this dog as your companion. Also he has a rank, military working dogs have rank, he does deserve to be honored as a veteran and not just a dog.
I would take this dog if I thought even for a second that we could provide for him, but we have dogs that i can’t just get rid of to take him, and with his medical problems, I am just not sure that I, or many people for that matter can provide him a quality life.
Amen.
Thank you VERY much to all of you here on this board who are serving now or have served. I retired 19 years ago, and if my health permitted it I would go right back. Please pay no attention and don’t waste breath or electrons on trolls. They aren’t worth it. Ignorance sometimes knows no bounds. God bless all of you vets, serving and having served.
Also thank you very much to those who appreciate it.
Instead of fighting and arguing with each other why aren’t you actively posting this story to all your Military friends? This dog needs a home but he also needs an owner who understands the uniqueness of a Military dog’s training, handling, and care. Military Dogs and Police Dogs are not pets, they are working dogs forever… even upon their retirement. Despite Rocky’s debilitating injury he is still a trained Military Dog and we are not talking about a cute little poodle. He needs an owner who knows how to handle him and keep him under control. A retired Military dog handler would be the perfect owner for Rocky. I am posting to all my military friends as an informed, trained, educated rescue volunteer. I suggest that everyone follow my lead, there has to be someone, somewhere who will responsibly adopt this wonderful ” Soldier”.
Great comment Chulland. It is important that people fully understand the temperment of the animals that they are considering taking into their homes. This is why we have so many homeless animals now and animals being put down at the shelters because people didn’t take the time to be responsible and learn about the animal/breed that they are considering taking into their homes or whether they could feesibly provide a loving permanent home. Someone with expierence with German Shepherds, perhaps the Military training that this dog went thru, know about obedience training and how to continue on in that training with this dog and has the means to financially provide for his ongoing care as well as the time to do so….so that this big guy will not end up being another statistic at the hands of ignorance.
Profanity is the refuge of the ignorant. Can’t you post without it? Jeez
Cassandra, I don’t know what your really about, but I wouldn’t give this dog to you if you wanted it. In your eyes I guess he is a war terrorist also. I hate your thought’s and your additude toward the service and its people. Its people like you that make me sick. You want to look like a hero and save a dog in every ones eyes but don’t have to guts to do anything about it. I guess thats why you’re on the outside of the hero ward looking in. You don’t know crap about being an American or a Hero. So just shut up and leave the fighting and the saving to the people that know how to do it! ( THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES) We don’t tell any one to save someone or something, we go do it. Sorry baby, but you just aren’t good enough for a dog of his ranking!!!! And about the Vet dog getting left behind in Nam, They are still hero’s and don’t ever think they aren’t. The guys that left them aren’t the ones that made that decision, it was the civilians here at home and the same civilians that gave our Nam hero’s that big welcome home party when they got back. So get off your high horses and do something if you want to talk about it. The recruiting station is right down the street!!!! Get you some of that and come see me in 20 yrs!!!
OS1(SW) R.S. Holt USN Retired
Wow lol!!! k I know we are all getting worked up over this cassandra retard.. but seriously I really think that that’s what they are trying to do. I really don’t think they actually even care about this topic and are only posting their vile useless spew to anger as they are probably doing on many other topics and sites as well, they are probably just some lonely loser sitting in a basement that’s never had a friend and probably never will and this is the only attention they will ever get so they get off on it, so why stress ourselves out and just totally ignore them and they will get bored and go away as attention whores usually do..
Peace all
I would also love to adopt him but I and my husband are both serving reg force members in canada, I do have a small 11 year old min pin that I have one heck of a time finding someone to watch when I have to go to the field (which is quite regular) or on tour(in afghan right now). I see most people are bickering at who should or should be more responsible to adopt him.. the answer is anyone or everyone who is able and ready.. as it does seem like a very devoted owner that needs to take him and be able to give him the time and attention he both needs and deserves, I really do hope he finds a home and will not be tossed aside and forgotten as many of our vets have been.
I will adopt him if someone can look after him till I get back from Iraq in JAN
Re-posting and re-publishing via various sites; find it difficult to believe that no one has yet adopted. Very sad element here no matter how you slice it.
We understand from Camp Pendleton that there are numerous inquiries, but there is a process for adoption a military dog and we hope that people have been submitting applications to do so via the link to Lackland AFB provided in the post; they handle all military dog adoptions.
Too much ego here, not enough dog. Is someone getting the dog or not? Alot of you people really suck at life. Dont forget to take your meds daily.
Wow, reading Rocky’s story made my heart sink. I seriously considered inquiring, but I know deep down that I would not be the best or ideal candidate. I work full time at nights, and my husband works days. We have an elderly dog & cat, as well as a new rowdy kitten that would probably drive Rocky nuts! I pray that the proper person who can truly take care of this dog gets him, be it military personnel or not. I liked the idea of everyone chipping in for a long term dog-sitter!
hey
I will adopt him if someone can watch him till I get back from Iraq in Jan
I wish I could adopt this guy, but my circumstances won’t help him.
I would like to know what the hell the arguing is about, shut up, it’s not about you, it’s about the poor dog. People are messed up these days, use your time to help the dog, not prove you are right. No matter who wins the arguement, the dog is not helped and that’s why the site is here. I’m guessing the dog is smarter than some people who have been posting.
I think it’s time to quit fighting these fraudulent wars and people stay home and care for their own famil;ies and pets, so many have ended up in shelters to be killed because their owner went to war, Time to STOP,,, Not surprised about this, the Military left all the Vietnam dogs over there at the end of the war, and you know they ate them, so that is how you Thank your Military buddies, SHAME!!
Never saw a Vietnames eat a dog. You must have been in country (NOT) somewhere different than the rest of us.
I am disgusted that out government in this day & age would even send an animal into danger at all since there are so many electronic bot devices that coul be used instead. Regardless this animal is a national hero & I for one woul rather see my government use my hard earned tax dollars that I pay them to give this hero a comfortable life until his time here is over instead of using my tax dollars to provide medical, housing, entitlement programs of all kinds to millions of illegals in our country. They Justify such actions by saying there is no way to reck how many illegals are here when to get food stamps, Medicaid, WIC, education, etc. They have to have all zeros or all 1’s turned in on any government form if they are not legal citizens! I say that his animal deserves much more respect & consideration than even common legal citizens do! Why can’t he live at the Whitehouse! He has earned it.
Kudo’s to you Andrea! well said, well spoken. I love the positiveness in your post!
SHUT UP I CARE MORE ABOUT THIS DOG THAN ANY OF YOU WAR TERRORISTS. why should I need to adopt him when you’re the reason why hes like this?? America makes me SICKK!!
Don’t waste your breath on this twit Steve. I did twenty years after having been draft bait in 1971. I wouldn’t want trash like that serving along side me. Likely would get the rest of us killed.
wow come on you guys i am sure there is going to be stiff competition for who is the lucky human that gets to adopt rocky, what is with all the hating? veterans nd families of veterans should go to the top of the pile of aplicants to adopt him, it is their right . he is an awesome dog and you guys should come together to help him out, not argue. you know if each person here put $10 in a hat, he could hire a dogsitter for at least a month to take care of him? sheesh. and by the time the money runs out, they’ll have bonded with each other and be friends for life
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every dog or person who served in war, mostly like to have ptsd, the dog deserves our respect for it served 3 tours in Iraq. so many of our leaders in power have never even visited any war-zone, what a shame
Capt. H. thank you for your generous offer to provide transportation and vet care to who ever can adopt Rocky. Maybe we can get a “fund” going for him?
Cassandra — child you need to get a better education of the United States, not just what is taught in the California school system, and being a nanny for two children, I am sorry does not qualify you to speak of war. Could you hack a full term in the military? your only 20 yrs old. your young enough. then speak about war and our freedoms. otherwise hush child and take a nap with the 2yr old you watch .
Hell yeah Capt, Couldn’t have said it better my self!!
Wow. Just listen to the anger coming out of some of the people posting. This is why we have war.People being nasty and judgemental to people they dont even know. Why are you so angry and bitter towords one another? Do you know each other at all? A lot of hate going on and it certainly wont help this dog.
Its plain to see that everyone posting really cares about this poor dog, and since that is the issue here, why argue and place blame instead of trying to come up with a solution together?
If no one who has heard this story can adopt this cute critter, then possibly a friend or realitive can. It wouldnt hurt to ask around or make this story more mainstream/public, thats my plan anyway.
With any luck we can find this little guy a home…
WOW it is so sad how so many people can get SO off topic! I pray this dog finds a hope that can take care of him and I pray that some of the people who posted on here can learn to look past the stupid things people post to get attention and worry about the main topic here. I hope all you people who got your 5 min of attention by other people because of what you posted on here are happy that you could make a plea for help all about you.
AMEN
Well the ONE thing I learned on hear is, Many throw around A LOT of Nasty comments, None really pertaining to the Dog. I do NOT CARE what anyone thinks about Anything, except this poor HERO DOG. Has he found a Home??? I find it amazing, one woman saying she is a Grandma, I hope she does Not use the words she used on here, around the kids. In Another post, she writes God Bless!!! I would hope this dog goes to a Calm, Loving home. He needs Peace and a Gentle hand. Three tours has to be Just as bad, or even worse for a dog. I wish him the very best and Blessings to whoever gets the Honor to Love him:) Fingers Crossed. The Place in UTAH would be Ideal, if no other is found. They are AWESOME people. They would probley come get him too. I know they delivered a dog to the Bakersfield area…..Hoping!
Please remember not everything is as it seems, another handler CANNOT adopt another military dog. When i was in, it was against regulations, and those of you who are not active duty, or active reservist do not understand the complexity and extent of military regulations and no… dependents also do not know completely the extent either, you may have a broader understanding, but there are so many smaller regs. that you do not even notice. I am not trying to insult you, I am trying to get a message across that there are more dynamic’s involved than many may realize, and for those that think reservist are not as important as active duty, then again you do not understand. I was never a reservist but I do know more times than not, the reservist are sent in first. many times it is they who are in the front lines, they also will shed their blood, risk their lives right along side of us in “active” service. I AM A VETERAN, I SERVED MY COUNTRY WITH HONOR, and I WOULD DIE FOR MY COUNTY, MY HOME, THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE FOR MY FAMILY. I am disabled and am unable to give this fellow veteran the care he needs, or i would drive there myself and get him. Please remember ignorant and uneducated people leave ignorant and uneducated comments, let us all stop breathing life into them, Do not waste time commenting on this post.. Just do what you can to try to save this animal life. This animal has saved countless lives and could just as easily save his new owners life. If you have never enjoyed the love of a pet, you have no idea the unconditional love they can give, the pure devotion to you.
hear, hear air force! i have plenty of opinions on the military but they are not being posted here… just wanted to say i wish i could adopt rocky (there are so many animals out there i wish i could adopt!!) but i live in england- transporting him wouldn’t be very fair!
we should contact the people at camp pendleton (where rocky lives) and see what else can be done, besides putting him down…
I am military. I have experience with mwd’s. Are you positive he can’t be around small kids and animals. A lot of the time that is said as more of a disclaimer. I will take him or I will help pay for transportation and vet bills. All of this military slamming is not needed. We do our job for love of country and belief of freedom. None of us want or like war. However, to cassandra, we would not have the liberties we have were it not for the revolutionary war. I think it is time for you to sit down, shut up, and be schooled about our great history!
As said earlier, just let me know where he needs to go and I will get him there!
Out of all the post you are truly the only one to step up! God bless you sir!!!
A blog to save a dogs life and people are arguing about politics and war? You should be ashamed instead of arguing and calling names why not pass along info and be a part of a solution? Praying that rocky finds a much deserved home soon!
Ditto to that! I’m wondering wtf they’re doing here on a “pets for patriots” page in the first place. They should be trolling in their Daily Kos, or Media Matters, or Huffington Post. There’s at least one who I’d like to punch in her illiterate, dumb bitch, anti-military, hater mouth.
It is uplifting to see all the name calling and foul language here….this poor boy, has anyone heard if anyone has stepped up and offered him a home yet?
My god! all the bickering in this post!, I have read more back and forth verbal jabbing, post of who is better than who. this is NOT ABOUT YOU! Please remember this is about a animal who lost his beloved handler, has been passed around from person to person, Is in pain every day. and yes has served his country. If you cannot help him yourself the least you can do is post this story on your social networking page, (facebook, myspace, twitter).
Reply to Air Force, Thank you so very much for pointing out the wasted words these people are continuing to spew. It is unbelievable to me that people cannot put their own egos aside for any amount of time and stay with the subject at hand. Which is Rocky. I have e-mailed Spc.Joseph Ramsey and also P2V (Pets To Vets) and I hope that will help Rocky and a veteran in need be matched up. They certainly share a common bond. I know there is a veteran just waiting for the right companion and Rocky may be the answer to his or her prayers. Some of these posts just make me sick. As for Cassandra Glasnapp, your venom toward our country and our military is beyond sickening. Guess what Cassandra? AMERICA~~LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT! Thanks again Air Force for pointing out the selfishness and bickering in some of these posts. And, most of all, thank you for your service.
I hope this dog gets a home. I wish that I could take him, but I already have two dogs and two cats.
Okay, I got half way through reading all of the comments and I just could not take it anymore. You people are crazy. As long as this dog is adopted and taken to a good home, WHO CARES who is doing it?! As far as I’m concerned, you can be in the military, or you can be just a regular average joe… it doesn’t matter, when it comes down to it, we all bleed red so why fight about who is better for this guy…
As far as “Cassandra” goes, I bet she’s a 15 year old little girl, still in HS, doesn’t know what the world is about and is trying to get a rise out of you people. IT’S WORKING! Just ignore her and the people who agree with her… I know ya’ll are better than that. Especially the ones that can spell, HA! :P. Anyway. Military or not, this guy needs a home, let’s find him one, shall we? :).
I’ll chip in to help Rocky, as we all should. What is needed here is a clear plan. Frankly it’s an outrage that the military which can afford every other gadget and billion dollar gizmo, can’t take care of their own vets men, women or animals.
Sifjr@msn.com
I think it’s incredibly sad that this post to find this amazing dog a home has resulted in a slanging match with obscenities and insults being posted. The point here is to save a dog’s life and find him the right home, so please focus on passing his information on to those who could help him.
We agree, Katherine, and are trying to remove posts with obscene language as fast as we can. Let’s all focus on the task at hand: finding Rocky a forever, loving home.
That dog served three tours and this is how you repay him? You should really be ashamed of breathing the same air as him.
I would be honored to donate money to his transportation cost.
This is absolutely terrible. Do we have no shame treating veterans poorly, whether they be human or canine? What have we become?
Just wanted to say thanks to service men, women and dogs… Although I cannot take him due to other pets and small children, I’m praying he finds a forever home… Oh and for as much as some claim to dislike war, they sure like to stir it up in this forum…it’s too bad that that misguided passion isn’t used more effectively….
Just curious if the handler normally keeps the dog (and I know his handler died) why doesn’t another handler who may have lost their dog step up. I think due to the type of work this dog did that either a military person or someone who has experience of these sort of highly trained dogs would be best suited to take the dog. I really feel for this poor dog just isn’t right to dispose of him cause he can’t work anymore. Imagine if every soldier that came home with a disability was euthanised?? There would be a huge uproar. I’m not American and I don’t agree with war but at least the soldiers chose to fight the dogs had no choice, even more reason to take care of them now.
when a dog is KIA the handler is often assigned a new dog whom he has to build a repore with and learn to trust him with his life
my son is presently serving in iraq,,if you can make arrangements here i will cherish him…we live in nepa about 15 miutes from bingham nywe run a small kennel and he would fit righ tin..god bles u on ur mission..call me if necessery 5708402578