Her owner's health was failing and he wanted to know she'd be in good hands.
The Charleston Animal Society's annual fireman calendar is much sought for - you know, because of the cute rescue dogs – but it has nothing to do with the shirtless firemen!
In May, Rob Tackett appeared as 2017's "Mr. March" with a shy German Shepard puppy named Kimber. He had no idea he would soon form a profound bond with her adopter and eventually become Kimber's new father.
Kimber was discovered as a puppy on the side of the road, hairless, malnourished, and miserable. Thanks to the Charleston Zoological Society, she has flourished and she has grown into a lovely young lady who is an ideal companion for veterans in need. Steve Hall served three missions as an elite Marine sniper in Iraq and Afghanistan. He, like many of our military's heroic men and women, returned home with flashbacks, nightmares, and anxiety, all of which are symptoms of PTSD.
He found that his dog, Scout, helped relieve his symptoms, but when Scout passed away in December last year, his PTSD fully recovered. Kimber was adopted by Hall and his wife from CAS, and her wife was certified as an official PTSD dog. She became Hall's daily companion, and she was exactly what he needed.
Tackett, an Army veteran, met Hall at the CAS 2017 calendar shoot when he was picked to pose with Kimber. The two instantly became friends due to their mutual experiences. Hall and his wife were astounded by how fast their shy puppy warmed up to Tackett. Tackett told People Pets in an interview: “Her owner and his wife told me she wouldn't go near any guys, yet when I first met her, she snuggled up in my arms, and we hit it off right away. She felt secure in my presence.”
Hall underwent neck and back surgery this summer. Incapable, he enlisted the help of his new confidante Tackett to care for Kimber while he recovered. Unfortunately, Hall discovered after several weeks that he was not recovering as swiftly as he had thought. Knowing the two had a especial bond, he asked Tackett if he could permanently adopt Kimber. “He was in a state of grief. ‘My health isn't where I want it to be,' he admitted. We are unable to care for Kimber. 'I don't want her to go somewhere else.'
Kimber has been formally Tackett's since October, and the two couldn't be happier. Tackett has indicated interest in obtaining additional training for Kimber so that she can visit with other veterans and give the comfort and love she now provides to everyone who knows her.