03/13/2026
🐾 Honoring a Legacy: The Story of Bear 🛡️🐕
On National K9 Veterans Day, we reflect on the dog who started it all. For our founder, Travis Hall, that dog was Bear.
After leaving the military as a 5th Special Forces Medic and K9 Handler, Travis struggled with the transition to civilian life and combat-related trauma. He wasn’t alone in that fight—his military dog, Bear, was also grappling with the effects of combat. When Bear was allowed to retire with Travis, their bond led to a remarkable reduction in trauma symptoms and improved daily life for them both.
When Bear eventually passed away from old age, his loss inspired a new mission: rescuing high-drive breeds like German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois to place them with veterans who truly understand them.
In 2018, Travis received an urgent request to help a retired special operations veteran, a former teammate struggling with PTSD. Travis Hall used his expertise to personally train and donate a rescue dog to his friend, providing a vital source of support.
The success of this first placement led to an organic increase in demand from other veterans seeking similar aid. This overwhelming need served as the catalyst to transform a single act of compassion into the structured organization now known as Second Chance K9 Service Dogs.
Today, we honor Bear’s legacy by continuing to rescue, train, and donate elite service dogs to Special Operations Veterans battling PTS and TBI.
Help us continue Bear’s mission:
* Support our current trainees: Your donations fund the intensive training for dogs like Mongo and Luna.
* Join us on March 21st: Our inaugural Dust Covers Shoot helps fund these life-saving pairings. sck9.eventbrite.com
Donate today to give a hero their “Second Chance”:
* Venmo: [email protected]
* PayPal:
* Web: www.secondchancek9.com