Second Chance K9

What Second Chance K9 does

Second Chance K9 is a 501c3 nonprofit headquartered in Clarksville, Tennessee, founded by former Special Forces dog handler Travis Hall. The organization rescues high-drive working dogs — primarily Belgian Malinois, German Shepherds, and Dutch Shepherds — assesses each animal for behavioral weaknesses, trains them to build confidence in deficient areas, and certifies them as ADA-recognized Service Dogs before placing them exclusively with U.S. Special Operations Forces veterans suffering from PTSD or TBI. Placements are made only after a 3–6 month bonding period, and the organization explicitly targets grown dogs at risk of euthanasia because their working-drive needs are misunderstood by the general public. Eligibility for veterans is intentionally narrow: only SOF personnel from U.S. military branches qualify, and the program is free of charge to recipients.

Revenue is generated entirely through charitable contributions rather than fees. The operational model combines five recurring monthly giving tiers ($5–$100/month) branded after individual program dogs, a separate Patreon channel for behind-the-scenes storytelling, episodic GoFundMe campaigns (notably the Healing Road documentary co-produced with Evolve Studios), project sponsorships for facility upgrades, in-kind supply drives via Amazon and Chewy wishlists, business partnerships including round-up and giveback promotions, and event-driven fundraising such as the Dust Covers Shoot & Fundraising Dinner at Governor's Gun Club in Kennesaw, GA. The organization operates with 1–10 employees and has no mobile application, proprietary software platform, or AI/ML component; delivery is fundamentally founder-led and human-intensive.

Name

Second Chance K9

Legal name

Second Chance K9

Website

https://secondchancek9.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Second Chance K9 is a 501c3 nonprofit that rescues high-drive working dogs and trains them as ADA-recognized Service Dogs, placing them at no cost exclusively with U.S. Special Operations Forces veterans suffering from PTSD or TBI. The Clarksville, Tennessee-based organization is funded through recurring monthly tiers, Patreon, events, and corporate partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veteran Support Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

K9 Security Services (IMAIAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

K9 Handler & Working Dog Security Training (BPAKAOAK), K9 Breeding, Procurement & Deployment Services (BPAKAKAL), Handler Training, Certification & K9 Unit Compliance Services (BPAKAKAK)

Keywords

• Service dog training
• Veteran support services
• Animal rescue nonprofit
• PTSD service dogs
• Military working dog rescue

Headquarters

HQ city

Clarksville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Monthly Donation Tiers: Recurring monthly donations at five tier levels ($5-$100/month) providing consistent operational funding for dog care, training, food, equipment, and facility operations.
2. Project Sponsorship: One-time or recurring donations designated for specific projects such as kennel units, retaining walls, shop/garage improvements, and facility upgrades.
3. Business Partnerships: Corporate sponsorships including event hosting, round-up campaigns, giveback promotions, and campaign support.
4. Patreon Support: Monthly subscription support through Patreon providing exclusive stories and updates to supporters.
5. Documentary Crowdfunding: GoFundMe campaign for Healing Road documentary production, co-sponsored by 2nd Chance K9 501c3.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Second Chance K9 is a 501c3 nonprofit that rescues high-drive military breed dogs (Belgian Malinois, German Shepherds, Dutch Shepherds) at risk of euthanasia and trains them as ADA-recognized Service Dogs. The dogs are donated free of charge to Special Operations Forces veterans suffering from PTSD or TBI, with the founder Travis Hall personally certifying each dog before placement. The organization is funded entirely through donations, monthly giving tiers, Patreon support, business partnerships, and event-based fundraising.

Product overview

Second Chance K9 is a nonprofit rescue organization offering a single focused program: pairing high-drive rescue dogs (primarily Belgian Malinois, German Shepherds, and Dutch Shepherds) with Special Operations veterans suffering from PTSD or TBI. The Service Dog Program is the core offering, involving dog assessment, training, and placement. The organization also co-sponsors the Healing Road Documentary to raise awareness of veteran mental health issues.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Service Dog Program

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Evolve StudioscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Award-winning Evolve Studios is co-producing the Healing Road documentary with Second Chance K9 501c3. The documentary follows veteran Travis Hall's journey toward healing and the community supporting him. This partnership extends the organization's mission visibility and donor engagement through multimedia storytelling.
• PatreonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPatreon platform provides exclusive stories and updates to Second Chance K9 supporters. Monthly subscription model allows ongoing engagement with donors seeking behind-the-scenes content about rescue dogs and veteran placements.
• GoFundMeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGoFundMe hosts the Healing Road documentary crowdfunding campaign, enabling supporters to contribute directly to the documentary production costs.
• Amazon Wish ListminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAmazon Wish List enables supporters to purchase specific supplies (food, gear, kennel supplies, cleaning products, training tools) that the organization needs daily.
• Chewy Wish ListminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChewy Wish List enables pet product donations for dog care including food, treats, toys, and supplies.
• Governor's Gun ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGovernor's Gun Club in Kennesaw, GA hosts the Dust Covers Shoot & Fundraising Dinner event for Second Chance K9, providing venue for team shooting competition, individual competition, dinner, and auction.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• K9s For Warriors: The largest U.S. nonprofit providing service dogs to military veterans with PTSD/TBI. Direct peer — same beneficiary population, similar rescue-to-service-dog pipeline, donation-funded model, but at substantially greater scale and broader eligibility.
• Paws of War: Nonprofit that trains rescue dogs and places them as service dogs with veterans suffering from PTSD and TBI. Direct peer with a similar rescue-to-service-dog pipeline and veteran-PTSD focus.
• America's VetDogs: Nonprofit (sponsored by the Guide Dog Foundation) that trains and places service dogs with veterans, active-duty military, and first responders with disabilities including PTSD. Direct peer in mission and service-dog training methodology.
• Veterans Moving Forward: Nonprofit providing mobility and PTSD service dogs to veterans. Direct peer in service-dog training and veteran-focused nonprofit model.
• NEADS World Class Service Dogs: Nonprofit that trains service dogs for veterans, first responders, and civilians with disabilities. Direct peer in service-dog training methodology and veteran beneficiary population.
• Guardian Angels Medical Service Dog: Nonprofit that trains and places medical service dogs (including psychiatric service dogs) with veterans and civilians. Direct peer in training methodology and donation-funded nonprofit model.
• Dogs of Valor: Nonprofit that specifically trains shelter rescue dogs as psychiatric service dogs for veterans with PTSD/TBI. Direct peer with the closest mission alignment to Second Chance K9's rescue-to-service-dog model.
• Service Dogs for America: Nonprofit that trains and places service dogs with veterans and others with disabilities, including PTSD support. Direct peer in mission and operational model.

Emerging players

• Pets for Vets: Nonprofit that pairs shelter animals with veterans to ease PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Emerging/adjacent peer — shares the veteran-PTSD and rescue-animal intersection but focuses on companion pets rather than ADA service dogs.

Broad incumbents

• Canine Companions for Independence: Largest U.S. nonprofit service dog organization, serving veterans and civilians with a broader range of disabilities. Broad incumbent with overlapping service-dog training mission but wider beneficiary scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/2CK9SD
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/second-chance-k9

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Second Chance K9