Community Corner

Military Service Dog Needs A Home, And Fast

After losing his handler, Camp Pendelton seeks a new home for Rocky.

One of the best parts of being a dog lover is that there are no boundaries to adopting a dog.

For example, Rocky is a retired military dog who will be put down on Aug. 24 if he’s not adopted. He served three tours in Iraq and desperately needs a loving home to enjoy his final years.

Pets for Patriots is responding to a request to help create awareness of this veteran’s plight.

Find out what's happening in Lake Forest-Lake Bluffwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Rocky currently lives at Camp Pendleton, his home base since entering the Marine Corps in 2004. He served as a patrol and explosives dog, and returned to the states after his last handler was killed in theater. Since then, he has not had a steady handler, but has continued to serve on base until March of this year.

By that time, a degenerative condition rendered him unable to work and he was retired. Typically an ex-military K9 will be adopted by his handler, but Rocky has no handler to call his own.

Find out what's happening in Lake Forest-Lake Bluffwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The base kennels are not suitable to provide the type of ongoing care and attention that Rocky needs and deserves. And without an individual or family to adopt him, he will be put down. He was recently featured in an article about military dogs enjoying a bright future after service, but that’s not the case for him. 

Like most military working dogs, Rocky is independent, but he has a sweet temperament and enjoys relaxing in the sun. As a result of his disability, he uses a canine wheelchair and needs assistance to do “his business.”

He would do best in a family that can devote a lot of time to him, and that has no small children or other animals. More than anything, Rocky needs someone who honors his service, and who will love and accept him.

Rocky’s known medical conditions:

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia/Enlarged prostate
Mild hip dysplasia L coxofemoral joint, grade I
Bilateral coxofemoral DJD (mild)
Bilateral neurologic defecits rear legs – degenerative myelopathy
Pressure/kennel sores

If you or someone you know has a big heart for this dog who put his life on the line for our country, contact Camp Pendleton directly and immediately:

Spc. Joseph Ramsey: (760) 725-5527; email: joseph.t.ramsey@us.army.mil

Spc. Jade Clarke: (760) 725-5527; email: jade.clarke@us.army.mil

 

- Information compiled by Barbara Cooke


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here