About GOODBOY

Colleen Bell

Founder and President

Colleen Bell is the founder and driving force behind GoodBoy Dog Recovery. With over 14 years of specialized experience in lost dog recovery she is an accomplished and widely recognized lost dog recovery specialist in the United States.

As a thermal drone pilot, she uses thermal imaging drone technology in lost dog recovery, a technique so advanced and effective that it has led to reuniting dogs that would have otherwise perished due to their location and condition.

She manages every aspect of the organization — strategic case planning, thermal drone operations, live surveillance monitoring, client communications, equipment maintenance, community education, and all social media content reaching over 74,000 followers and 10 million views monthly.

She built this organization from the ground up because she believed every lost dog deserves someone who refuses to quit. That belief has never wavered.

Professional Background:

Colleen is a nurse with decades of healthcare management experience and has spent the past 11 years working in the health insurance industry and long-term care. Her background in leadership, case coordination, problem-solving, and emergency decision-making provides a unique foundation for the strategic planning and field operations that drive GoodBoy Dog Recovery’s success.

Brian Bell, Sr.

Technical Systems & Recovery Specialist

Brian is one of Colleen’s older brothers and plays a key role in both planning and executing recovery operations. He assists with surveillance efforts, trap deployment, and on-site response while helping develop recovery strategies for challenging cases. Brian is also involved in designing and building custom capture equipment, including remotely monitored trapping systems that allow us to safely recover dogs that cannot be approached by traditional means. His calm, methodical approach and commitment to every case make him an invaluable member of the team.

Professional Background:

Outside of his volunteer work with GoodBoy Dog Recovery, Brian is a Master Transmission Specialist and owner of Charlie’s Transmissions. His extensive mechanical knowledge, troubleshooting skills, and hands-on experience contribute greatly to the custom equipment and recovery solutions used in the field.

Alan Boates

Field Operations & Technical Systems Specialist

Alan combines hands-on field experience with technical expertise to support many of our most complex recoveries. He helps design and build custom traps, installs and maintains electronic monitoring and remote door-release systems, and assists with surveillance operations in the field. Alan’s ability to develop creative solutions for unique recovery challenges has helped expand the tools and techniques we use to safely capture elusive dogs. His innovative mindset and dedication are instrumental to the success of GoodBoy Dog Recovery. Alan and his family have adopted two of the abandoned dogs that our team rescued!

Professional Background:

When he is not volunteering with GoodBoy Dog Recovery, Alan owns and operates Boates Brothers General Contractors. His background in construction, fabrication, and project management has been invaluable in developing custom trapping systems, surveillance setups, and field equipment that help make successful recoveries possible.