Redemption Ranch K9 Rescue

01/07/2026

Introducing Walker- who had a huge day today. Some dogs come to us already carrying more love than the world has ever shown them. Walker is one of those dogs.

Walker’s story could have ended on the side of an interstate. He was thrown from a car and left behind — confused, terrified, and completely disposable to someone who never deserved him. Thankfully some Good Samaritan's saw this and intervened immediately. As they were good friends with some of our board members they asked if we could maybe screen him as they were afraid to take him to an animal shelter as they had already fallen in love with him.

From the moment we met him, he was gentle. Soft-eyed. Incredibly affectionate. Ready to play. The kind of dog that leans into you like he’s known you forever. His handler fell in love almost instantly — and Walker made it very easy.

Then came the hard news: heartworm positive. A serious, painful diagnosis with long, intense treatment and strict rest. The kind of thing that makes many dogs “too expensive” or “too much work.” Not Walker. Not here. Not on our watch.

We committed immediately to giving him everything he needed, no matter how long or difficult the road was. And today, after weeks of careful monitoring, restricted movement, and constant love- WALKER RECEIVED HIS FINAL HEARTWORM INJECTION! We want to pause and give our deepest, most heartfelt thanks to Dr. Jackie Busch and her incredible staff at Healthy Paws Animal Hospital

They didn’t just treat Walker — they protected him. They watched every detail, every breath, every quiet moment, knowing how fragile this stage of his journey was. They moved his crate into their office so a dog who had once been abandoned would always be surrounded by voices, kindness, and care. That level of compassion can’t be taught. It comes from people who see animals not as cases, but as lives that matter. That kind of compassion changes dogs and it changes outcomes. On the left is how we met Walker, on the right is him recovering surrounded by love and compassion by the amazing staff at Healthy Paws. Once he recovers he will be in our next academy - working in a school where he will be surrounded by kids to love on him and not a day in the rest of his life will go by that he doesn't make somebody else's day better.

Walker may have been thrown away, but he has found people who choose him over and over now. Some dogs break your heart with what they’ve endured. Walker heals it with who he is.

01/06/2026

We cannot thank Kit Hanley and FOX59 News for telling the story of our amazing pups! Thank you for showing shelter dogs are capable of doing amazing things! This exposure could really help us reach agencies that haven't heard of us and help get us more interested agencies! If you missed it this morning here's the story!

Redemption Ranch is turning shelter dogs into K-9 officers. Here's how it works: https://fox59.com/indiana-news/from-shelter-to-shield-redemption-ranch-gives-shelter-dogs-second-chance/

01/03/2026

K9 Casper is all smiles because FOX59 News came out to learn his story, as well as our other shelter to shield pups! Tune in Monday, Jan 5 from 0430-0930 where the story will air at the bottom of each hour. Watch Casper, Hawk and Newt showcase their abilities, have their stories told and their accomplishments showcased! Thank you Fox 59 for telling our story of helping make emptier shelters and safer streets!

01/03/2026

Sonny update- When we found him, he was coming up against a euthanasia date at an over- crowded shelter after being abandoned by his previous "owner". But we saw som**hing different, as did the folks at his shelter. We saw heart. We saw drive. We saw a cause worth fighting for. I would especially like to thank the volunteers at the The Animal Protection League Inc., Indiana for bringing him to our attention.

In school Sonny didn’t just survive — he thrived. He stepped into class and immediately started excelling as a gun detection dog. Focused. Driven. Hungry to work. The kind of dog that reminds you why this mission matters. Midway through class, Sonny needed veterinary care that meant stepping away from training. Here the health and safety of our dogs is a number one priority and we will always choose safety over a schedule. For a dog who had already been given up on once, that pause could have been the end of the road. It wasn’t. We didn’t sideline him and move on. We didn’t cut ties. We didn’t break the promise. We treated him, stood by him, and waited — because that’s what your people do.

And when Sonny came back… he came back changed. Stronger. Sharper. More driven than ever. Finishing his training with the confidence of a dog who knows he’s backed no matter what. A dog who knows quitting on him is no longer an option. Check out the video in the comments of him getting back after it!

Sonny’s story isn’t about a setback. It’s about what happens when a dog is finally believed in. Because here Sonny isn’t a project. He isn’t a backup plan. He’s family. He belongs here — not because it was easy, but because we gave our word. He is why we do this and why we will always fight for dogs others have given up on. Sonny never stopped fighting, so neither will we! He is on track to finish by the end of the month and he will do amazing things. Sonny- you got this, and we got you!

12/31/2025

K9 Teeko from the Roachdale Police Dept and all of us here want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! Whether you are with friends and family or ringing in the New Year out and about- celebrate smart and make good choices. An Uber or a cab is way cheaper than an OWI. Thank you to all the officers- 2 legged and 4- keeping us safe tonight!

12/31/2025

School is on a break so K9 Newt is out on patrol tonight with her handler! During a dinner break I got to give her a treat or three, as well as get her to do her patented "twist and shout" (video in comments). From being nearly starved to death when she was rescued to now being a celebrity wherever she goes - thanks for working the road tonight

12/27/2025

There was a time when Ranger’s ribs told his story louder than his eyes ever could. When the Dowdy family saved him, he was wasting away. Emaciated. Broken down. A body that had given everything it had left, with no promise that anyone would ever give back. He didn’t know comfort. He didn’t know safety. He didn’t know what it meant to belong.

His body was failing, yet he kept moving forward anyway, because even at his weakest, Ranger was still trying to be good. Still trying to survive in a world that had already given up on him. Now look at him.

He sleeps pressed against his handler, not out of fear, but out of trust. His chest rises and falls without tension. No flinching. No guarding. Just peace. And you can see it in his posture — this is a dog who knows he is home. A dog who knows the fight is over.

Ranger’s story isn’t about how close he came to the end. It’s about how powerful it is when someone refuses to let the end be the answer. One family. One chance. That’s all it took to turn suffering into purpose and survival into service. At our graduation when Ranger spotted the Dowdy family in the audience and turned himself inside out- there was not a dry eye in the house.

From starving to strong, all because someone chose compassion, Ranger now gets to protect others, sleeping in peace next to his families Christmas tree. Good boy Ranger, we love how much you love your life.

12/25/2025

Merry Christmas from all of us here at the Ranch! And to those officers working the street today - both the two and four legged- it can be tough being away from your family so other families can be together safely. You are appreciated more than you know!

12/23/2025

HURLEY KEEPS MAKING US PROUD! The arrest of a m**h dealer and his product off the streets during the second half of her first shift! Not bad for being "just a pound dog"! Hurley, you are the embodiment of our slogan of emptier shelters and safer streets! Keep doing amazing things!

Traffic Stop leads to Methamphetamine Seizure

On Monday December 22, 2025 at approximately 7:45 p.m. Chief Deputy Cody Low initiated a traffic stop on Pike Street in Vernon, where he made contact with a male subject who was identified as Billey Mcroberts, 46, of North Vernon.

During the course of the interaction, Chief Deputy Low became suspicious of illegal activity and requested Deputy Tyler Campbell to deploy his K-9 partner Hurley for a free air sniff of the vehicle. K-9 Hurley gave a positive alert to the odor of illegal Narcotics. During a probable cause search of the vehicle, Deputies located approximately 52 grams of Methamphetamine. Billey was also found to have an active Jennings County Arrest Warrant.

Billey was arrested without incident where he was then remanded to the Jennings County Jail on the following preliminary charges:

Dealing Methamphetamine- Level 2 Felony
Possession of Methamphetamine- Level 3 Felony
Warrant for the original charge of Theft- A Misdemeanor

Lt. Thomas Mellencamp stated "Monday was Deputy Campbell and K-9 Hurley's first day working together as a team after graduating K-9 School last week, so for them to make an immediate impact on our community is a testament to their training and dedication. We look forward to seeing this team work together for a very long time."

Assisting Deputies- Sgt. Michael Watts, Deputy Blake Maynard, Deputy Dylan Smock, Deputy Max Marcoux, Reserve Deputy Steve Marsh

12/23/2025

LET'S HEAR IT FOR HURLEY! One week out from graduating and she had her first real world track today- over 600 yards for a suspect, while locating articles along the way to help confirm the suspects identity!

When I first met Hurley, she did not want to give hugs. She hid behind her dog igloo and pressed herself as small as she could make herself. She had been abandoned, tied to a post along with her mother, and left behind. When she started school she had to be coaxed into the room with bacon strips. But once she learned she could trust her handler was never going to give up on her, she took off!!

This week, that same dog walked into her school, met her students, claimed the gym as her favorite place (video in comments), and today ran her first real-world track on a suspect — over 600 yards, nose down, heart forward. A dog who once shut down now refuses to quit.

Hurley doesn’t remember the hands that walked away — only the ones that stayed. She doesn’t know she was supposed to be broken, only that now she runs forward with purpose, trusted with lives, carrying a quiet promise in every step: I matter and I can do anything because my human is here. She now runs with drive, carries responsibility, and turns a past built on fear into a future that protects others. Hurley, we are so so freaking proud of you! Extra Hurley hugs for her tonight!

12/21/2025

K9 Newt, who totally loves wearing her Santa hat as you can see from her face, wants to remind everybody only three more shopping days until Christmas! From being nearly starved to death and rushed to the ICU, to being an icon in her school we just love this little lady with a huge personality

12/20/2025

Check out our latest video- a deep dive of how and why we do what we do! One of the things we hear from interested agencies is they wonder what the catch is. There isnt one- free dog, free training, free vet care, free equipment etc. just save one of my pound puppies! Huge thanks to Absorb Studios for their Hollywood level of production value on this video. We will roll this out with our other materials to interested agencies to help show them how we work taking our dogs from shelter to shield. Give it a watch!

The video discusses a partnership between the Plainfield Police Department and Redemption Ranch. Rob, a Plainfield police officer and canine handler, pitched...