Second Chances

A K-9 officer and his dog stand against the railing of a pier, looking out over the water.

Forward by Ron Meuser, Jr.

Jen Yackley and I originally met with Dana (who wrote the story below), her husband Ed and his service dog Rex to hear their story and learn how I can help. They founded an organization called Soldier’s 6 whose mission is to provide honorably discharged veterans, police officers, and firefighters with specially trained K-9 dogs. The support they provide these brave individuals is nothing short of amazing and, unfortunately, very much needed. We hear from our police officer and firefighter clients with PTSD that the suffering doesn’t end when the job is over and many don’t want the job to end. Dana and Ed’s story is very real, heartbreaking, and a reminder that we must be continuously supportive in any way we can. Please join Meuser, Yackley & Rowland, P.A. in supporting this worthy organization by going to https://www.soldiers6.com/

The picture above speaks volumes to the phrase second chances, and my heart. This picture is a beautiful part of my life. This is K9 Dez and my brother, Mike. Dez came to a point in his career that became dangerous for not only Dez, but my brother. He shut down and didn’t want to work. He wouldn’t engage or become aggressive when needed. Mike made the gut-wrenching decision to pull him from K9 training. Long beautiful story short, Dez got a second chance at life protecting Ed’s life as a service dog. It’s a role that fits him much better. He can still be social, which he loves, and he can just be a dog with the biggest heart I have ever seen. A heart so big that he most certainly hasn’t forgotten his 1st daddy, my brother Mike.

Mike recently moved home and joined the family organization of Soldiers 6. Law enforcement is all he has ever known, but the K9 world is a huge part of that. Minnesota is home and that’s where family is. This is his chance to rise. His opportunity to shine and he will. I believe in him and his incredible ability to work with not only people but with dogs. He has a gift. An incredible talent.

Now, he and Dez can walk this road of second chances together – just out of Kevlar. Their road is like that of many law enforcement officers. Tired, shut down and maybe a little lost. But I can tell you, you will rise again and you will shine. Dez and Mike are proof. I will always be my brother’s keeper.