Cale and Monk: An Unlikely Senior Match

Cale, an Army veteran who served three combat tours in Iraq, had wanted a dog for years. When COVID assigned him to full-time telework during a cold Maryland winter, his physical health and emotional well-being began to suffer from sitting indoors all day. He knew it was time to find a companion who would get him up and moving.

Cale learned about the companion pet adoption program for military veterans through The Hero Company and applied in early November 2020. He was accepted promptly, but finding a dog proved difficult. After months of silence and denials from other shelters, The Hero Company reached back out to Cale—who was on the brink of giving up—and, with his permission, shared his preferences with local shelter partners.

With pandemic restrictions slowing routine adoptions, The Hero Company eventually connected Cale with a shelter specializing in senior dogs. Cale was initially unsure about adopting an older pet, but he was proven wrong by Monk—a senior dog who had spent over a year in a kennel and sanctuary after his previous owners passed away.

Cale realized that while Monk wasn't the exact pet he thought he wanted, he was the friend he truly needed. Now Cale gets out of bed early, incorporates Monk into everything he does, and feels reminded that there is life beyond his computer screen. Monk is housebroken, walks perfectly on a leash, requires no intense puppy training, and offers unconditional love.