R.A.D.A.R. began with a dog named Ammo—confiscated from a suspected fighting ring, returned to the shelter three times, and dismissed as “too much dog” for most. To our founder, Fontana, he was the spark that started it all.

In 2011, Fontana was a college student in Denver, during the city’s 30-year pit bull ban. Owning Ammo meant carrying vet-certified papers everywhere, dodging legal threats, and battling public perception just to take him for a walk. Yet through the chaos, Ammo revealed a powerful truth: these misunderstood dogs don’t need punishment—they need structure, compassion, and someone who refuses to give up on them.

Ammo wasn’t just a challenge; he was a teacher. His resilience and spirit lit the path that years later would become a mission to champion the dogs that society too often discards; and to show that with compassion, structure, and unwavering commitment, every underdog has the chance to thrive.

While serving in the U.S. Air Force, Fontana began taking in every stray, injured, and neglected dog that crossed her path—particularly the bully breeds who, statistically, were much less adoptable.

After realizing she couldn’t save them all alone (or keep footing the bill solo), she made a choice: pivot careers, build a home-based rescue operation, and put her military precision to work for the underdogs. In 2019, she left Active Duty to join the Air Force Reserves, choosing stability for her dogs over the constant upheaval of military life. With eight pit bulls in tow and no chance of renting ever again, she built a permanent base of operations. Today, Fontana continues to balance her commitment to the nation with her passion for rescue.

We're not running a high-volume rescue operation—we’re running a high-integrity one. We take in fewer dogs by design, focusing primarily on bully breeds with medical issues that need time, patience, and rehabilitation.

We don’t operate a facility—we rely on foster homes, carefully chosen and supported as part of our team. Each foster is equipped with the supplies and resources they need, and we communicate every dog’s temperament and behavior with complete honesty. That transparency creates the foundation for matches that fit both the dog and future adopter, resulting in more successful, lasting homes.