- Employees at Rover Oaks Pet Resort in Houston present fundraising check to Mission K9 Rescue. (Photo Credit: Photo: Rover Oaks Pet Resort)
- A military dog visits the War Dog Memorial. (Photo Credit: Photo: U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class John F. Looney)
- Bob Bryant (left) and Kristen Maurer (right) work with Mission K9 Rescue. (Photo Credit: Photo: Rover Oaks Pet Resort)
- This wall shows the ‘dedicated paws’ recognizing the people who made donations to the ‘Operation: War Dogs’ fundraising campaign. (Photo Credit: Photo: Rover Oaks Pet Resort)
- Rover Oaks’ employee Pat Packard poses with a dog next to a banner promoting the cause the pet resort and Mission K9 Rescue have been focused on since Memorial Day. (Photo Credit: Photo: Rover Oaks Pet Resort)
A Houston based pet resort is contributing to help dogs that have worked for the U.S. military find suitable homes for their retirement and also to reunite them with their handlers.
Military dogs work with all branches of the armed forces and specialize in the detection of bombs and explosive devices, as well as of weapons and drugs.
Rover Oaks, a pet resort with facilities in Houston and Katy, has completed this week the eighth edition of an annual campaign called ‘Operation: War Dogs' that raises funds for Mission K9 Rescue, a non-profit organization dedicated to the service of retiring and retired military dogs and contract working dogs.
Mission K9 Rescue, which is the Houston chapter of the United States War Dogs Association, provides monetary, transportation, adoption and professional assistance for retired military dogs. During the last five years, the organization has rescued over 250 dogs and facilitated over 100 dog and handler reunions, according to a news release from Rover Oaks.
This year's fundraising campaign began on Memorial Day and ended on July 4 and Rover Oaks raised a total of $27,538.
“Dogs are our business and our passion, and to know that military working dogs are languishing in barely habitable kennels overseas, not being brought home to the heroes’ welcome they deserve, is appalling to us. The overwhelming response to this fundraiser from the community and our clients shows that they feel the same way about the War Dogs who have loyally served to protect our country,” said Claire Ellington, general manager of Rover Oaks in Houston.