A Special Adoption Story

Thunder was rescued as a stray and ended up in a rural SC shelter. While there, he was evaluated by a service dog organization that trains shelter dogs for veterans to help with PTSD and service-related trauma. Thunder scored very high in their testing but was not selected for their program because he’s a Pit mix and not the typical Lab-type dog they target. At the same time, Worthy Dog Rescue and our training partners Blue Ridge Canine were discussing a joint effort to identify and train a rescue to become a service dog to help a person in need. Many people who need a service dog can’t afford them because they require an investment of many months of intense training, socialization, and obedience work. It takes time to get to know each dog and understand how they can best support their new family. Thunder was an ideal candidate, so he became our first rescue dog in service training.

Thunder started his training program last fall and the Blue Ridge Canine team spent over nine months working with him. He did great with his obedience training, and they learned he really loved and connected with people. A traditional Service Dog is required to ignore other people and dogs while out with their handler. Thunder was so engaged with people, they decided the best job for him would be an Emotional Support Animal (ESA). The Worthy Dog Team set out to find the right match for Thunder, looking for someone who had the documented medical need and was also a great fit for this young, active dog. Once we interviewed Gio, we were all in agreement that this match was meant to be.

Gio is a disabled combat Marine veteran who did two tours in Afghanistan and spent 14 months on the front lines. He saw 18 members of his unit killed in action, and over 250 wounded. He suffers from PTSD and anxiety, and has trouble sleeping. When he returned from service, he had a hard time reconnecting with people, and his doctor suggested he look into an ESA to help. Gio was medically approved for a service dog, but really wanted a social dog who wasn’t too structured and could go everywhere with him. He wanted a buddy to help him re-engage in civilian life, and feel less lonely. The pandemic only made the feeling of isolation worse, and Gio had been looking for a dog companion for seven months when we contacted him. Gio met Thunder at the Blue Ridge training facility in Culpeper, VA, and was initially hesitant to get excited as he had experienced so many disappointments in his search. When we contacted him to let him know him Thunder was going to be his pup, his joy was palpable, and he was excited to continue the required training. Gio and Thunder have been doing virtual training sessions with the BRC team to prepare him for his upcoming AKC Canine Good Citizen test.

Over the past three months, Thunder has had a major impact on Gio’s life. They go on runs together and take trips to the local park a few times a day. Thunder has regular playdates with the neighbor’s dog, and Gio is getting out more and engaging with his neighbors. He shared this update:

“Thunder is so attentive and intuitive to my feelings. Every night he makes sure I am settled in before he relaxes. When he senses I am anxious, he will lick my hands, and come lay beside me. He’s laid back, but always up for an outing. He’s awesome on leash, and great at meeting new people and other dogs when we are out. I take him everywhere, and he’s always by my side.”

Gio is currently working and taking grad school classes at night focused on Business Leadership. He hopes to start a non-profit after he graduates offering services to military veterans to help them transition to civilian life. He shared with us that in the military you are given so much responsibility and always driven by a mission, and when you transition out, it can sometimes feel like you lack purpose. He wants to pair veterans with a child in need so they can mentor and feel committed and accountable to something.

We love everything about this! How awesome is it that an abandoned dog is now helping to heal a deserving veteran, that the good folks at Blue Ridge Canine gave so much of their time for this cause, and that Gio has been inspired to give back to his veteran community? The impact that a dog can have on our lives is immense, and that’s why we believe every dog is a Worthy Dog. We are so honored to be part of this adoption story