SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Banks is a gentle giant. The kind of dog perfect for becoming a service dog, specifically for Vietnam veterans. He has an unforgettable story about how he got to this point.

John Lopez with K9s For Camos knew immediately that Banks was a good fit, “Most of the time when we see a dog in the first 20 seconds we can tell if they are going to work for the program. And Banks, we knew right away.”

Lopez founded K9s For Camo with the mission of rescuing dogs and helping veterans all at once.

It is hard to imagine that a dog as calm as Banks could end up in a rescue.

“Banks was found by a couple of individuals that found him on the banks of a creek,” explains Lopez, “Some terrible human tried taping his paws up and throwing him in the creek to drown him. He made it to the banks. That was the start of his new life, his new name, and now he is in line to help save a human’s life.”

Banks’ original owners had no intention of him surviving, but they underestimated his will to live.

Now, Banks has a new purpose. He is going to be a stability dog for a Vietnam Veteran.

Currently, Banks is around 11 months old and weighs in at 80 pounds. He is expected to grow to 115 pounds, making him the perfect dog to lean on both literally and figuratively.

“There’s a lot of happiness for the entire situation. Dog and veteran,” says Lopez.