A Dog Named Romeo

As Comfort for Critters moves through its twentieth year helping pets, I remain amazed that a simple blanket, can make such a difference. I spend time every day managing CFC, but it can be frustrating that as we’ve grown, I am no longer able to visit all the shelters with a bag full of blankets, as I did back in 2007. At that time, I would see firsthand how the blankets were being used and how they were making a difference. The challenge now is that even as we ship out over a thousand blankets a month, we don’t get to personally see what happens after a blanket leaves our hands. But then an email arrives to remind us all of exactly why we do this work.

Recently, Michael Incopero, a foster volunteer with Safe Haven Dog Rescue, shared a heartfelt message about the role Comfort for Critters blankets play in the lives of the dogs they save. His words were a powerful reminder that every blanket tells a story.

More Than a Blanket

Michael began by congratulating Comfort for Critters on our 19th anniversary, writing: “Nothing short of amazing how you are closing in on a quarter of a million handmade comfort blankets distributed free of charge to shelters and rescues around the USA.” A quarter of a million blankets is certainly a milestone worth celebrating, but in the end it’s just a number. What matters is what happens when those blankets reach frightened, homeless animals.

Safe Haven Dog Rescue primarily rescues dogs from rural shelters in Tennessee and Arkansas. These are often dogs with few resources and limited chances. Michael described how rescues like theirs step in during crises, including a massive effort in early 2025 when homeless camps in Texas were closed and thousands of dogs suddenly faced euthanasia.

In the midst of all these challenging situations, I feel grateful to Michael that our blankets accompany every dog entering a foster home. According to Michael, “In every kit that goes to a foster home with a dog in Safe Haven hands, is a comfort snuggle.” For many of these dogs, that blanket is the first thing they have ever owned. “Many of these dogs have never had a soft place to sleep much less a blanket and nothing to call their own,” he adds.

A Dog Called a “Mistake”

The story that touched me most was that of a little dog named Romeo. A Chihuahua-Yorkie mix, this pup had been discarded by a breeder in Tennessee. Michael shares, “He was called a mistake. At just over 12 months his value to the breeder dropped every day he got older and beyond the ‘puppy’ state. A mix of Chihuahua and Yorkie and all of 12 pounds, he was so much garbage to the breeder to be tossed out.” Romeo was surrendered to a high-kill shelter, where his future looked bleak, but fortunately volunteers intervened. He was rescued just before his time ran out and eventually transported nearly 950 miles to Illinois, where Michael agreed to foster him.

Not surprisingly, when Romeo arrived he was terrified. Michael recalled, “When Romeo got here he came off the transport van and would not move. This little guy was highly stressed.” He was afraid of doors, didn’t know how to climb stairs and wouldn’t walk on a leash. “I’m not sure in his 12 months on this earth he had ever been free to roam around a yard, much less go on a walk.” He had likely spent much of his life confined and isolated. “This is where the comfort blanket became essential,” says Michael.

A Safe Space

Michael described how he prepared Romeo’s crate. “His crate was set up to be his safe space. He had his snuggle to sleep with, some handmade chew toys (also courtesy of Comfort for Critters) plus his food and water,” says Michael. This safe haven and a blanket to snuggle with gave Romeo all the security he needed.

“He ate with his blanket, slept with his blanket” adds Michael. When thunder struck or unfamiliar noises frightened him, Romeo could retreat to his crate and curl up beside the blanket that had become his own. Day by day, he grew more confident. He explored the house, learned to play, and began to trust. According to Michael, after only three weeks “he transformed from a scared, nervous little dog who wouldn’t eat into a highly confident one who charged around the yard playing with the resident dogs and zooming all over the inside the house.”

Then came the day every foster hopes for - Adoption Day! I was thrilled to learn that Romeo did get adopted by a wonderful, loving family. Best of all, Michael assures us “his blanket went with him to his furever house!” The blanket carried the scents of his foster home, his foster family, and his canine friends - helping ease yet another transition.

The Impact We Don’t See

One of the most meaningful parts of Michael’s letter was his encouragement, even though volunteers rarely witness the results of their efforts firsthand. He wrote, “While you all don’t get to see the impact in person these blankets make - we the fosters do.” The stories he has shared are always remarkable. “Some of these pups become so attached to their blanket they insist that it go everywhere with them – in the car to help with their car anxiety or to the vet or even just going to another room in the house.”

One foster’s security camera captured a dog trying to drag his blanket into another room. When the blanket became tangled in the crate door, the dog simply dragged the entire crate across the house because he wasn’t willing to leave his blanket behind.

Michael also described situations where frightened dogs escaped during walks. Unable to find their way home, they were eventually guided back by the familiar scent of their crate, housing their Comfort for Critters blanket, placed strategically outside.

It Takes a Village

Near the end of his email, Michael reflected on the many people involved in every successful adoption. “It truly takes a village to save a homeless dog,” he says. He listed shelter workers, transport volunteers, veterinarians, foster families, food suppliers, donors, and countless others who each play a role in helping a dog reach a loving home.

Then he included Comfort for Critters volunteers among those essential contributors. “You are an important part of the village it takes to save these pups.” That sentence means more than I can express. Every volunteer who has ever crocheted a square, knitted a blanket, sewn a quilt, packed a box, or donated supplies is part of that village. You may never meet Romeo, or even know the name of the dog who curls up on the blanket you made. You may never witness the moment a frightened animal finally relaxes, or the joy of Adoption Day. But those moments happen thousands of times every year. I for one, feel so blessed that Michael shares these stories from time to time with me, and to know about the amazing work he is doing!

So, as you start your next Comfort for Critters blanket, I hope you’ll remember Romeo. A little dog once called a “mistake,” but who now has a family. That transition was made possible by a village of caring people. In that village, for at least part of the day, is where you and I get to live.