Redemption Ranch K9 Rescue

01/14/2026

Tomorrow is a big night for a very special dog. A dog that has had to fight uphill his whole life is crossing the finish line. We will be honoring this very good boy for completing his training at our dine to donate event tomorow at Barley Thyme Kitchen + Brew.

Sonny came to us from the The Animal Protection League Inc., Indiana where he was running out of time. The harsh math that so many shelters are facing right now meant Sonny would probably have never made it out. We would like to say thank you so much to the amazing volunteers there for helping us get him to our attention and who refused to see this very special dog become another statistic.

As you may remember , partway through our last course Sonny required some additional veterinary care before he'd be able to continue his training. Once healed and given the greenlight by the vet we resumed his training. Progress was measured in small, gentle training sessions, taken one step at a time. No shortcuts. Just patience, resilience, and trust. Rebuilding himself piece by piece, heart first.

Tomorrow, Sonny stands as proof of what happens when compassion meets perseverance. A dog once running out of time now runs toward a life of purpose, service and dignity. As I said at our graduation this isn't just about redemption, it's about resurrection. Because Sonny doesn't just leave here with a new name- K9 Sonny- he leaves here with a new life! Hope to see you there!

01/13/2026

Two more days until our second dine to donate Barley Thyme Kitchen + Brew! This Wednesday from 4:30 to 9 in the evening come stop in, grab some food, meet some of our dogs and help us help us take more dogs from shelter to shield! Thank you again to Barley Thyme Kitchen and Brew for supporting a local charity! Hope to see you there!

01/11/2026

K9 R***r of the Fairmount Police Department stopped by the American Legion Post 313 last night and paid his respects to the military working dogs and their handlers. Here he is next to this humble monument dedicated to those 4 legged veterans and their handlers who gave their lives for our country. While the monument may be humble, what it represents is not. Like all working dogs they did it all for some head pats, some kind words and maybe a tennis ball. As any dog handler will tell you- That kind of loyalty to their handler is worth every muddy paw print, always being covered in hair and smelling like a dog.

K9 R***r started and had lived most of his life in the care of the Putnam County Animal Care before being recruited for our program- and now every day of his life he proves himself to be a loyal companion and dedicated servant to the community he protects. Living a life of duty and honor forged in the legacy memorialized by the working dogs honored here.

01/08/2026

We could use your help! We are one week out from our "Dine to Donate" event! We can't thank Barley Thyme Kitchen + Brew enough for this opportunity and want to thank a local business for helping a local charity! Stop by, meet some of our graduates and help us help more dogs go from shelter to shield!

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 something 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!