Redemption Ranch K9 Rescue

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...

12/19/2025

We would like to again thank our good friend Becky Wanick. She is a huge supporter of ours, speaks to agencies on our behalf, comes with me to shelters to scout dogs, attends trainings, and does these amazing portraits of our graduates that she paints and presents at graduation. She must cover the frames with onions or som**hing because I've seen a few people get som**hing in their eyes when they are presented with them. We thought these deserved some extra attention- check em out! It's the eyes that always get me.

12/17/2025

Graduation pics! "I've had my share of broken dreams and more than a couple of falls, and in chasing what I thought were moonbeams I have run into a couple of walls, but in looking back at the places I've been I would sure be the first one to say, when I look at myself today, I wouldn't have done it any other" Jim Croce. We would like to start by thinking every agency that put their trust in us and invested their officers time in us and our shelter pups!

We also have some incredible supporters we would like to thank. First up the incredible Evan "Charizard" and Gabe "George" for helping our dogs learn to track to people. Next two amazing human beings were recognized with the "Evan Brenneman Difference Maker" award for their work bettering their communities. From the Humane Society for Hamilton County (Indiana) Gina Smola and Mariah Kaercher for their incredible work saving the lives of animals, recognizing work dog potential in shelter pets and their amazing "Pets Healing Vets" program that helps veterans with PTSD by partnering them with service dogs. We would also like to thank J&J Express Services for establishing a vet care fund for us to allow us to provide for our dogs at no cost to their handlers. Duke Energy and Cynthia for their donation of gift baskets for our all of our four-legged grads. The amazing team from Healthy Paws Animal Hospital for their work with our dogs, as well as the shelter pets of Hendricks County. Absorb Studios for their work with our PR materials were also recognized, as were the Cloe family for their incredible support and the Simms family for giving Ranger his freedom ride.

Also the Dowdy family was recognized for saving Ranger's life. When he saw them as he came down the aisle he bolted for them, turned himself inside out and couldn't stop crying. These dogs do not forget where they came from or who helped them along the way.

We also have to mention our great friend Becky Wanick who presented each graduate with a painted portrait of their partner. Must have been some dust in the air when she did as som**hing got in a few peoples eyes. We also got to surprise Evan with a birthday party as tomorrow he turns 10 years old! When Evan was born a doctor told his parents he would never ride a bike, go to school, do any of the things he does daily. Just like Evan our dogs have been told what they can't do because of their past- and just like Evan look at them now! If you would like to help donate to research that made Evan living life full possible please go to www.teamevan.org to help with research for PWS.

K9 Spartan, K9 Ranger, K9 Hawk, K9 Roscoe and K9 Hurley- keep your handler safe, and go do amazing things!

12/16/2025

Introducing our final student (and in a few hours a soon to be grad) for this course- Ranger! He is a one year old Dutch shepherd that is all go, no slow! When he first came to our attention it was from a law-enforcement officer who saw what the world had missed- he saw an emaciated dog in a bad situation. He intervened immediately. He and his family fed him, protected him, and reminded him what safety felt like.

That mercy didn’t weaken him, It rebuilt him.

Today, Ranger stands restored—strong, driven, and ready to serve. Not because his past was easy, but because it wasn’t. He is proof of what happens when the right people refuse to let a good dog disappear.

In this course he showed that he is focused, loving, and full of fire. His new handler shares that passion, pushing him, challenging him, and celebrating every victory along the way. Together, they’re a team destined for greatness. Ranger will also be going to an out of state agency and we're so excited to see the success they have!

We would also like to thank Healthy Paws Animal Hospital for taking such amazing care of this good boy, during the first week of class he injured his leg jumping for a tennis ball and they cleared the decks to get him taken care of, treating him as one of the family. They even continually sent selfies with this superstar to keep his new momma's mind at ease while he was being evaluated, and then got him back to feeling like his old self! Thanks again for everything you guys do for us, and all the shelter pets of Hendricks County!

12/15/2025

They did it!!! These dogs once waited in silence, with the clock running out. No promises. No guarantees. Just hope—and someone, their new family, willing to fight for them. They were scared. They were overlooked. They kept going anyway. Now they’re graduating.

Tomorrow night, you can stand feet away from lives that were almost lost and cheer as they step into purpose. You can look into the eyes of the literal underdogs and know that giving up was never the ending. If you believe redemption is earned, if you believe broken doesn’t mean finished, if you believe the ones written off are often the ones who matter most—Be there. Plainfield Police Department, 1075 W Main St, Plainfield IN 6:30 PM! Come meet our newest class of graduates

12/13/2025

Heavy snow, high winds...No sympathy. We train every single day.

Saturday doesn’t buy you a pass, and bad weather doesn’t lower the standard. This course runs every day.

The dogs are tired, but tired is where truth lives. Because the real world won’t wait for rest, dry gear, or perfect conditions. Because real deployments don’t care how you feel, how sore you are, or what day it is.

So we show up. We work through it.
And we make sure they’re ready—even when it sucks. Comfort is optional. Readiness is not.

12/12/2025

Dine to donate event! Our mission only survives because of people who refuse to look away — supporters who believe that these dogs deserve their shot. We’re a small local charity, built by locals and backed by local businesses that believe in the work. No salaries. No paychecks. Just long nights, real sweat, and volunteers who pour everything into turning forgotten dogs into heroes.

Join us for a night that fuels the fight. Every plate served helps save another life! Come out and meet some of our alumni as well!