Veteran lost her ‘beloved’ service dog. Then came ‘extraordinary turn of events’
A military veteran lost her “beloved” service dog — then came an “extraordinary turn of events.”
Kerrie Porter, who served in the U.S. Army, was “devastated” after the death of her dog Bruno, a Georgia-based animal organization wrote on Facebook. The group pleaded for someone to help her before she was surprised with a new pup, Hayden.
“The fact that he is Bruno’s brother feels particularly meaningful,” Sheila Rashad, co-founder of Top Dogg K9 Foundation, said in an April 28 news release. “We are confident that Hayden will provide Kerrie with the same unwavering support and companionship that Bruno did.”
Photos posted on social media show Porter petting Hayden after she unexpectedly was matched with him.
“The fact that he can go everywhere with me is a big deal,” Porter told WANF. “Bruno went with me to three different VA facilities, and if you have ever been to the VA, it’s not a walk in the park.”
Porter, who is legally blind and has PTSD, is getting a fresh start after she initially was matched with Bruno earlier this year. In March, the service dog was on a walk when he got scared, ran off and was hit by a car.
“Two members of our team quickly went to the area and found Bruno’s lifeless body on the shoulder of the road,” Top Dogg K9 Foundation wrote March 12 on Facebook. “We are heartbroken.”
As the organization grieved the loss of Bruno, it pleaded for someone to cover the expenses of training another service dog for Porter.
“Knowing the profound impact a service dog has on a veteran’s life, we were determined to help Kerrie find a new partner, especially considering how vulnerable she has been since the loss of Bruno,” Blake Rashad, co-founder of the organization, said in the release.
Eventually, Montlick Injury Attorneys — an Atlanta-area law firm — stepped in to help. Then came the heartwarming moment when Porter received her new dog.
“It is overwhelming to think that so many people could care about my progress, and my ability to function,” she told WAGA.
Top Dogg K9 Foundation is based in Lilburn, a roughly 20-mile drive northeast from downtown Atlanta.
This story was originally published April 29, 2025 at 2:16 PM with the headline "Veteran lost her ‘beloved’ service dog. Then came ‘extraordinary turn of events’."
