Chico’s handler was 20-year-old Mike Monahan, who served in the 46^th Scout Dog Platoon in Tay Ninh, Vietnam. By alerting Mike and his platoon to live tripwires, Chico saved many lives and would forever be a superhero in Mike’s eyes.

After his Vietnam tour, Mike had to leave his canine partner behind and return home, but the sorrow of abandoning Chico weighed heavily on him for five decades. To honor Chico’s bravery and the bond they shared, Mike recently wrote a book about their story called “Chico’s Promise”, and used the proceeds to start a non-profit of the same name. Mike realized there was no better way to say thank you than by helping to save the lives of 50,000 shelter dogs. He hopes to accomplish that by paying adoption fees at selected no-kill shelters throughout the U.S.

In 2022, Chico’s Promise turned to Creative Department to help further its mission. In our conversations with Mike, his immense passion for all dogs became apparent, as he spoke fondly of the canine companions he’s had over years. Inspired by his heartfelt devotion to dogs, we landed on the idea that all dogs are heroes in their own way. Supporting Chico’s Promise is an opportunity to not only honor Chico, but also to celebrate the love, laughter, and unconditional loyalty all dogs bring to our lives.

To enhance the digital presence of Chico’s Promise, we took a comprehensive approach. In addition to creating a new site with powerful imagery and messaging, we designed a new logo and an email newsletter campaign. Moreover, we streamlined e-commerce functionality by consolidating the donation and book purchasing processes, which were previously managed through separate sites.

Our partnership with Mike and his ongoing efforts to honor Chico in a profound way are showing consistent success – more and more shelter dogs are being saved each day, thanks to Chico’s legacy.