From Euthanasia List to Service Dog Hero
From Euthanasia List to Life-Saving Purpose: Meet Hans
Just a short time ago, Hans (fka Seth), a beautiful German Shepherd, sat on the euthanasia list at an overcrowded rural shelter in South Carolina - his future uncertain, his story almost ending before it had a chance to begin.
But thanks to the incredible heart and mission of Stephanie's Shepherd Rescue, Rehab, & Training 501c3, Hans was pulled from the shelter and given a second chance. Hans was driven 2.5 hours to his new foster home in Gastonia, North Carolina from South Carolina.
From the moment he arrived, it was clear that Hans is special and seems destined for a bigger purpose.
So, I shared his photo with Matt, a trainer at K9 Responder Academy, a first responder veteran-founded organization in Charlotte, NC. They specialize in training dogs for basic obedience, as well as service and therapy work.
Matt, a military veteran, knows that pain firsthand. After nearly losing his own battle with undiagnosed PTSD, it was a service dog from this very program that helped him find a reason to stay. He carries that reminder with him always by a tattoo on his arm. He stayed. And now, he’s made it his life’s work to help others do the same.
When Matt met Hans, he saw the same spark I did. So did the entire K9 Responder Academy team — made up of fellow veterans, retired police officers, and former firefighters, each partnered with their own service dogs. They saw something extraordinary in Hans.
After evaluating him, they confirmed what we had only hoped: Hans is a perfect candidate to become a service dog. Not just a pet — a lifeline for a veteran who’s still fighting a silent war inside.
The Academy has recently introduced the K9 Responder Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Its mission is truly impactful: to train dogs—many of them rescues—to serve as service and therapy animals for veterans and first responders coping with PTSD and trauma. Each dog is carefully matched with an individual and provided at no cost.
In addition, the K9 Responder Foundation is expanding its reach by training and donating therapy dogs to police and fire departments across North Carolina, with a special focus on Western NC.
This month, the Foundation opened applications for first responders and veterans to apply for a service dog - but only for a limited time (30 days).
Meanwhile, Hans is waiting to start his training. The only thing standing in the way? The $6,000 needed to fund his full service-dog training.
I’m reaching out with a full heart, asking for your help. Whether it’s sharing Hans’s story, making a donation, or simply helping us raise awareness, your support could change — or even save — a life.
This isn’t just about Hans. It’s about the veteran he’s destined to help.
And if you know a veteran or first responder who could benefit from a service or therapy dog, please introduce them to the K9 Responder Foundation. Applications are open now at:
Thank you, truly, for taking the time to read this. This is more than a rescue story. It’s a mission of healing, of second chances — for both a dog who was almost lost, and for the brave men and women still struggling to hold on.
With gratitude,
Amanda and Hans
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