SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The National Hockey League’s (NHL) Minnesota Wild today announced it has adopted Hatty, a four-month-old Golden Retriever mix rescue dog from Coco’s Heart Dog Rescue, on a one-year training contract. Hatty will be raised to become a future service dog and joins the Wild as part of the team’s Adopt-A-Dog Program. The program’s mission is to give a local hero a hero of their own.
Minnesota Wild Welcomes Rescue Dog Hatty to Team
This marks the fifth time the Wild has adopted a dog from Coco’s Heart Dog Rescue. Breezer, a Labrador Retriever, was the first team dog adopted during the 2019-20 season, Hobey, a Golden Retriever, was adopted for the 2020-21 season; Celly, a Shepherd/Catahoula/Labrador mix, was adopted for the 2021-22 season; and Brooksy, a Labrador Retriever mix, was adopted for the 2022-23 season. After their year-long training with the Wild organization, the dogs are then trained with Soldier’s 6, a 501(c)3 non-profit based in Minnesota that provides honorably discharged veterans, police officers, and fire fighters with specially trained K-9s.
Minnesota Wild’s Senior Director of Community Relations and Hockey Partnerships, Wayne Petersen, and his wife, Xcel Energy Center’s Executive Director and General Manager, Kelly McGrath, will foster Hatty and help facilitate basic obedience training until the summer of 2024. Following her tenure with the Wild, Hatty will pursue a career training with Soldier’s 6. At the conclusion of her specialized training, Hatty will be permanently placed with a veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a “Battle Buddy” and will help guide them through the difficult days in life.
“My family and I are thrilled to be involved in the fifth season of the Adopt-A-Dog Program,” said Petersen. “These dogs have become a mainstay for both our fans and our employees each year. We’re excited for Hatty to not only touch the lives of those of us with the Wild, but to also make her impact with Soldier’s 6 and her Battle Buddy family upon graduation.”
Fans can follow Hatty’s journey with the Wild on Instagram and X and at wild.com/hatty.
Coco’s Heart Dog Rescue is a non-profit organization grounded in love, dedication, and determination. Coco's Heart is dedicated to serving a variety of dogs needing rescue from a broad spectrum of unfortunate situations. Whether they are stuck in overcrowded shelters, strays from rural areas with little resources, injured with no place to turn, or rapped in puppy mills facing lives of misery. Coco's Heart is determined to help and provide quality veterinary care to every dog welcomed. As a foster-based organization there are anywhere from 200-500+ dogs in rescue at any given time. Coco's Heart strives to provide all dogs with the love, veterinary care, and treatment that they deserve. Coco's Heart is known for their dedication to the dogs needing a little extra care, often welcoming dogs who need extensive and specialized veterinary care. For more information about Coco’s Heart Dog Rescue, visit www.cocosheartdogrescue.org and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
Soldier’s 6’s mission is to provide honorably discharged veterans, police officers, fire fighters, correctional officers, 911 dispatchers and paramedics with specially trained K-9s. These special dogs will become their Battle Buddy and help guide them through the difficult days in life. The name Soldier’s 6 was chosen because that is what a service dog has, its Battle Buddy’s 6 (or back). For more information about Soldier’s 6, visit www.soldiers6.com and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
Minnesota Wild single-game tickets are on sale now at wild.com/tickets, ticketmaster.com and at the Xcel Energy Center Box Office. Flex, 11-Game, half and full season tickets are also for purchase. Please visit tickets.wild.com or contact a Wild Ticket Sales Representative by calling or texting (651) 222-WILD (9453) for more information. Group reservations of eight or more tickets can contact [email protected] for more information.
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