K9 Bailey Blue

04/27/2025

Huge thank you to Danforth Animal Hospital and Dr. Mendy Laughlin for taking such incredible care of K9 Bailey Blue
Your team is the definition of what "Animal Health Takes a Team" truly means. From the front desk to the techs to the veterinarians, every single one of you plays a vital role, and it shows.
Bailey Blue is stronger, healthier, and always ready for deployments because of your dedication, skill, and heart.
I'm beyond grateful to have a team like yours standing behind him.
Happy World Veterinary Day — you all deserve the recognition today and every day.
It truly takes a team! 💙💙

04/17/2025

04/17/2025

A Sand Springs man reported missing in December was found dead in McIntosh County on Monday.

04/17/2025

🧡🧡🧡🧡

Buford, the heroic Anatolian Pyrenees, found and led a missing two-year-old to safety after 16 hours alone in the Arizona wilderness.

https://kinship-pets.visitlink.me/RfrfwM

04/15/2025

🚨 The Most Overlooked Muscle in K9 Conditioning: The Psoas

Your K9’s job isn’t just demanding—it’s extreme. Whether they’re scaling rubble, tracking in rough terrain, hitting a bite, or navigating tight spaces during detection, their body takes a beating. And one deep, hidden muscle is doing more work than you think.

It’s the psoas. And most handlers aren’t training it.

Why the psoas matters for working dogs:

⛔️ It connects the spine to the femur—acting as a major stabilizer and power source.

⛔️ Supports explosive movement, fast transitions, and sudden directional changes.

⛔️ Maintains posture and helps absorb shock during high-impact work.

But here’s the problem:
In most K9 fitness routines, the psoas gets zero attention. And the cost is high. Studies show nearly 1 in 5 agility-related injuries involve the psoas. In the field, those stats get more serious—because undetected weakness leads to overcompensation, chronic strain, and breakdown.

What happens when the psoas is weak or tight?

⚠️ Strain shifts to the hips, lower back, and knees.

⚠️ Reduced range of motion affects performance and control.

⚠️ Recovery times increase, and small issues can become career-ending.

This isn’t just about fitness—it’s about operational readiness.
A strong, conditioned psoas improves endurance, control, and injury resistance—especially in high-pressure situations. And the best part? It’s completely trainable with the right approach.

Bottom line: If your K9 is putting their body on the line, their conditioning program should match that level of commitment. Train the psoas. Prevent injuries. Keep them in the fight—stronger, longer.

03/16/2025

Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the tragic loss of McKinney Police Department K-9, Azi, who was shot and killed in the line of duty.

K9 Azi’s bravery and unwavering commitment will never be forgotten. He stood on the front lines, fearlessly facing danger to protect those he served. His sacrifice is a heartbreaking reminder of the risks our officers—both human and K-9—take every single day to ensure our safety.

To Azi’s handler, fellow officers, and all who knew and loved him, we send our deepest condolences. The bond between an officer and their K-9 partner is unbreakable, and we can only imagine the pain of losing such a faithful companion.

Rest easy, Azi. You served with honor, courage, and love. Your watch is over, but your legacy will live on.

03/03/2025

⛔️⛔️ Stay Weather Aware ⛔️⛔️

03/03/2025

Prepare for a storm with your pet:

Create an emergency kit: Include food, water, medicine, a first aid kit, and a carrier.

Make sure your pet is identified: Microchip your pet and keep a collar and tag with your contact information

Have a plan: Decide where to take your pet if you need to evacuate

Prepare for temporary care: Consider pet-friendly hotels, boarding facilities, or a friend or relative

Keep important documents safe: Store copies of your pet's registration, medical records, and medication instructions in a waterproof container

Prepare for sanitation: Include litter, litter box, and trash bags

Have familiar items: Include toys, treats, or bedding to reduce stress

Have a photo: Include a picture of you and your pet to help identify them if you get separated

Prepare for evacuation: If you need to evacuate, have a plan for transportation and destinations with food, water, and veterinary care

You can also:

Exchange pet information, evacuation plans, and house keys with trusted neighbors or friends

Identify emergency veterinary facilities outside of your area

Include a manual can opener if your pet eats canned food.

02/19/2025

02/18/2025

For those who may need a place to warm up, we're tracking warming centers and overnight shelters reported by emergency management departments and voluntary agency partners across the state. Take your time and drive carefully if you get out on the roadways!

Find a full list of warming centers and shelters online: https://oklahoma.gov/oem/emergencies-and-disasters/2025/february-18-winter-storm/shelters-and-warming-centers.html

02/09/2025

💙🙏🏻⛰️URGENT WNC Master list for Volunteers needed immediately-Created & Updated 2/6/25 by Tracie Adams

PLEASE if you can spare a day or two come help us here, almost no volunteers are coming now and these relief groups are struggling!

**All these locations can use volunteers. Please please read all the info included may have links to sign up now. If they don’t then can just show up.

We are seeing less volunteers and we understand people have their own lives to lead plus it’s super cold….however if you can help even a day we appreciate it!

Rise Disaster Relief
-For people to apply to volunteer they can go to —)) riseteam.org/volunteer. Volunteers have to sign up and be vetted before showing up.

Carolina Compassion Network
Tracie Adams 704-297-5381
Need volunteers for sorting donations, cleaning out houses, manual labor, transporting RVs, need heavy equipment operators
, chainsaw work and tradesmen.

Wilmington Response-Camp Unity
Contact Nick 910-274-2523
Have base camp in Spruce Pine Volunteers can stay at
Needs carpenters, tradesmen, heavy equipment, any & all help
https://Linktr.ee/wncbasecamp

Camping world aka Tom Johnson
1855 US70 W Marion
Need help organizing donations
Mon-Friday 9-5pm
Michelle +1 (216) 849-9154 or Jason Seidel (828) 443-5363

Camp United in Candler
1needs people to cut and/or deliver wood. The volunteer would need a 4wd and a trailer to haul wood. We can also use someone to deliver wood/propane.
Camp United
Mookie P 828-785-2318
Dustin C 828-399-1161

If you need anything else feel free to reach out!

Red Truck Men
Rebuilding homes
https://redtruckmen.org/?

Overland Alternative Homes
Building homes
https://overlandalternativehomes.com/cabins/
[email protected]

Bald Creek Relief
100 bald creek school road Burnsville
Volunteer hours Mon-Sat 9:30-5:30

Helping Beyond the Storm
Crystal Hutson
1155 US 70 SW
Hickory, NC
828-851-9403

Team 222 Disaster Relief
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeZEaCp9g4sZAqPmtJ7_-ykCkni9fQzp_tLQ5jq1nhXCfnR0Q/viewform?

Samaritan’s Purse

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeZEaCp9g4sZAqPmtJ7_-ykCkni9fQzp_tLQ5jq1nhXCfnR0Q/viewform?

Beloved Asheville
32 Old Charlotte Hwy
Asheville
Tues-Saturday 9-1pm for Distribution center & volunteers

REMOTE VOLUNTEERS: Hurricane Helene Healing Hub needs volunteers from afar who can help remotely with outreach & fundraising, supporting those who lost everything + the area’s hardcore volunteers > www.WeAreWell.network

Hello R4Relief needs volunteers to deliver supplies. Drivers needed.
Jessi is POC. 336-465-5414
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdy9IUHQCDihfGYe1uTZrKOKlVkvw5NymKFF2XeQi4HVX2_Hw/viewform

Silverados
2898 US-70
Black Mountain, NC
M, W, Thurs 10-4pm CLOSED TUESDAYS Sat. & Sunday 11-5pm
Need help sorting supplie in s, chainsaw work, muck outs, etc

Maynard Electric Company
117 Dugout circle
morganton NC
Need help sorting supplies

Civilian Disaster Response Organization providing relief for farmers and homesteaders.
3420 New Leicester Hwy Leicester NC.
Yvonne +1 (828) 216-4496
We are in need of volunteer drivers, with a driver to take fencing supplies and feed to Elk Park NC

Red Bell Run- help loading & unloading hay & feed
385 Blackwood Road Columbus NC
Mary 828-863-2017 or 863-956-7571
Tues & Wed. 9-12 & 1-4pm
Saturday 9-12pm

Appalachia Disaster coalition
Ask for Bradley (843) 957-1600
Need help sorting clothes & supplies, manual labor, transporting RVs, need heavy equipment and tradesmen.

Buladean Community Center
12190 NC 226
Bakersville, NC 29705
Wed & Thurs 9-5pm Sat 10-2pm Closed Sundays
Help needed: Sorting, stocking, kitchen help. Also, Clean up, tree work, home repairs, fencing repairs, etc

Blue heart Sanctuary
399 Hall road
Green Mountain
Need help starting
They have major damage and need all the help cleaning, cutting trees, and rebuilding etc
Contact Amma +1 (828) 284-1972

Jimmy & Jeans
West Jefferson
20E Ashe St.
West Jefferson
Sorting & boxing

Yancey county Helene relief center
CALL 828-682-1883 for volunteer opportunities

Thank y’all so much for helping us!

Lodging: many hotels, air bnbs are back open. However if you need free lodging (we totally understand) it will depend on where you are volunteering. There is a Base camp in Spruce Pine contact Nick +1 (910) 274-2523 and some other options available

We suggest to bring, your own food but most restaurants are starting to open. There are hot meals being given out but can’t promise that for each location.

If you have a place needing volunteers let me know! Text Tracie 704-297-5381

If you know for sure of some here please post the following info below: location, address, hours for volunteers, contact person if possible, jobs for volunteers. 👇🏻