Michael Ritland

I'd love to get to a point where my organization and the handful of others just like it don't need to exist because to me that's how it should be. I would rather the U.S. government in the interim fund the ones that are doing it

I'd love to get to a point where my organization and the handful of others just like it don't need to exist because to me that's how it should be. I would rather the U.S. government in the interim fund the ones that are doing it

via charity, uh, right now, but with the end goal being that they build probably regional canine retirement centers, um, and all working dogs that aren't retired to their handlers or, uh, fellow unit members can, can go there and live instead of just being put, put down. Cause that's, that's why we exist is because that's what happens or happened. Um, man, that's rough. Yeah.

via charity, uh, right now, but with the end goal being that they build probably regional canine retirement centers, um, and all working dogs that aren't retired to their handlers or, uh, fellow unit members can, can go there and live instead of just being put, put down. Cause that's, that's why we exist is because that's what happens or happened. Um, man, that's rough. Yeah.

via charity, uh, right now, but with the end goal being that they build probably regional canine retirement centers, um, and all working dogs that aren't retired to their handlers or, uh, fellow unit members can, can go there and live instead of just being put, put down. Cause that's, that's why we exist is because that's what happens or happened. Um, man, that's rough. Yeah.

I mean, it, uh, yeah, I mean, it started back in August, 2010, like it wasn't, wasn't some grand plan of mine that I thought, Oh, I want to start a nonprofit. It was, uh, I was approached by, um, a command, uh, with two dogs that, um, had both, you know, deployed a number of times. You're probably familiar with them actually, but, um,

I mean, it, uh, yeah, I mean, it started back in August, 2010, like it wasn't, wasn't some grand plan of mine that I thought, Oh, I want to start a nonprofit. It was, uh, I was approached by, um, a command, uh, with two dogs that, um, had both, you know, deployed a number of times. You're probably familiar with them actually, but, um,

I mean, it, uh, yeah, I mean, it started back in August, 2010, like it wasn't, wasn't some grand plan of mine that I thought, Oh, I want to start a nonprofit. It was, uh, I was approached by, um, a command, uh, with two dogs that, um, had both, you know, deployed a number of times. You're probably familiar with them actually, but, um,

But, yeah, it was like they asked me and, I don't know, five or six other dudes in a similar scenario of a dog trainer purveyor of working dogs if we would take them. And my first response was no. It was like two broken old ass eater dogs that the handlers can't even take because they're too dangerous to be around their families. What do you want me to do with them?

But, yeah, it was like they asked me and, I don't know, five or six other dudes in a similar scenario of a dog trainer purveyor of working dogs if we would take them. And my first response was no. It was like two broken old ass eater dogs that the handlers can't even take because they're too dangerous to be around their families. What do you want me to do with them?

But, yeah, it was like they asked me and, I don't know, five or six other dudes in a similar scenario of a dog trainer purveyor of working dogs if we would take them. And my first response was no. It was like two broken old ass eater dogs that the handlers can't even take because they're too dangerous to be around their families. What do you want me to do with them?

And a month or two goes by, and they ask again. And so I was like, well, I can read between the lines on that. Everybody else has said no. So I just said, what's going to happen to these two if none of us take them? And they said, well, unfortunately, the operational dogs and handlers have all of our bandwidth. We just don't have the resources to take care of dogs that aren't in the rotation.

And a month or two goes by, and they ask again. And so I was like, well, I can read between the lines on that. Everybody else has said no. So I just said, what's going to happen to these two if none of us take them? And they said, well, unfortunately, the operational dogs and handlers have all of our bandwidth. We just don't have the resources to take care of dogs that aren't in the rotation.

And a month or two goes by, and they ask again. And so I was like, well, I can read between the lines on that. Everybody else has said no. So I just said, what's going to happen to these two if none of us take them? And they said, well, unfortunately, the operational dogs and handlers have all of our bandwidth. We just don't have the resources to take care of dogs that aren't in the rotation.

So we'll probably just euthanize them. And I said, fuck that. Send them to me. I'll figure it out. that opened the floodgates and, you know, here we are 15, 16 years later and, uh, and several hundred dogs from everywhere.

So we'll probably just euthanize them. And I said, fuck that. Send them to me. I'll figure it out. that opened the floodgates and, you know, here we are 15, 16 years later and, uh, and several hundred dogs from everywhere.

So we'll probably just euthanize them. And I said, fuck that. Send them to me. I'll figure it out. that opened the floodgates and, you know, here we are 15, 16 years later and, uh, and several hundred dogs from everywhere.

I mean, we've taken dogs from customs, border patrol, secret service, uh, police departments, all different special operations unit, federal law enforcement, you name it, you know, and, uh, And these are all dogs, again, that aren't the norm. I would say they're kind of the Hannibal Lecter of the dog world and that they're ones that the handlers can't take.

I mean, we've taken dogs from customs, border patrol, secret service, uh, police departments, all different special operations unit, federal law enforcement, you name it, you know, and, uh, And these are all dogs, again, that aren't the norm. I would say they're kind of the Hannibal Lecter of the dog world and that they're ones that the handlers can't take.

I mean, we've taken dogs from customs, border patrol, secret service, uh, police departments, all different special operations unit, federal law enforcement, you name it, you know, and, uh, And these are all dogs, again, that aren't the norm. I would say they're kind of the Hannibal Lecter of the dog world and that they're ones that the handlers can't take.