Big Dog Ranch Rescue expanding service dog training program for veterans

Big Dog Ranch Rescue is breaking ground on a facility that will allow the Rescue to expand its veteran service dog training program and board dogs for free if their owner is deployed in the military.

Big Dog Ranch Rescue is breaking ground on a facility that will allow the Rescue to expand its veteran service dog training program and board dogs for free if their owner is deployed in the military.

BIG DOG RANCH RESCUE IS BREAKING GROUND ON A NEW FACILITY IN PALM BEACH COUNTY. WILL ALLOW THE RESCUE TO EXPAND SERVICES FOR VETERANS AND ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY. ARE TAYLOR HERNANDEZ. REPORTS FROM LOXAHATCHEE. 75 OF US WENT IN. WE LOST 38. FOUR VETERANS LIVING WITH PTSD LIKE TERRI BRAUN, HAVING A TRAINED THERAPY DOG CAN BE LIFE CHANGING. I’M GOING TO RELY ON HER FOR SUPPORT. I STILL HAVE FLASHBACKS. I STILL HAVE NIGHTMARES. RIGHT NOW, BRAUN’S SELF DESCRIBED NEW BEST FRIEND. ALFRED IS FINISHING HIS TRAINING AT BIG DOG RANCH RESCUE. BEFORE ALFRED MADE IT TO SOUTH FLORIDA, THOUGH HE WAS RESCUED FROM SLAUGHTER AT A MARKET IN CHINA. HE WAS VERY SCARED OF PEOPLE. HE HAD HIS OWN PTSD. WITHIN A FEW MONTHS, THESE TRAINERS HAD TURNED HIM AROUND. RIGHT NOW, 20 RESCUE DOGS AT A TIME ARE TRAINED HERE AT THE RANCH FOR VETERANS. BUT SOON THIS PLOT OF LAND WILL ALLOW THEM TO DOUBLE THAT. YOU ARE A GOOD BOY. THE 17,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY WILL HAVE FOUR SECTIONS. ONE DEDICATED TO SERVICE DOG TRAINING, AND ANOTHER TO BOARD DOGS OF ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS. WHILE THEY’RE DEPLOYED. PEOPLE COME TO US FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WHEN THEY’RE BEING DEPLOYED AND THEY’RE IN TEARS HAVING TO GIVE UP THEIR BEST FRIEND WHILE THEY GO SERVE OUR COUNTRY. I DECIDED AFTER FOUR OR FIVE OF THOSE, THIS IS THAT RIGHT? THE REMAINING TWO WILL BE A PUBLIC BOARDING FACILITY OPEN ONLY TO THE DOGS PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED FROM BIG DOG RANCH. OUR GOAL IS THAT THE INCOME WE MAKE FROM THE FRONT TWO WINGS WILL OFFSET THE COST OF THE KENNEL CAREGIVERS AND THE VETERINARY CARE FOR THE DOGS AND TRAINING FOR VETERANS. THAT DEPLOYED MILITARY DOGS. THEY’RE GOING TO BREAK GROUND HERE NEXT WEEK AND THEY SAY THEY WILL WORK AROUND THE CLOCK TO GET THIS FACILITY FINISHED UP IN THE NEXT NINE MONTHS. IN LOXAHATCH

Big Dog Ranch Rescue expanding service dog training program for veterans

Big Dog Ranch Rescue is breaking ground on a facility that will allow the Rescue to expand its veteran service dog training program and board dogs for free if their owner is deployed in the military.

Big Dog Ranch Rescue is breaking ground on a facility that will allow the Rescue to expand its veteran service dog training program and board dogs for free if their owner is deployed in the military.Terry Braun was just 20 when he was drafted and deployed to Cambodia. He received a Purple Heart for his service, but the impact of his time in combat still lingers.“I finally applied for VA benefits in 2016," Braun said. "My wife realized I was suffering from PTSD. I thought it was normal because we shoved everything back.”Several doctors suggested he get a service animal, and now Alfred, a two-year-old Golden Retriever, is going through training at Big Dog Ranch Rescue.WPBF to the Rescue: Tango“I’m going to rely on him for support," Braun said. "I still have flashbacks. I still have nightmares.” Lauree Simmons, the founder of BDRR, said Alfred was rescued from slaughter at a market in China.“He had his own PTSD," Simmons said. "He was very scared of people. Within a few months, these trainers turned him around.” Right now at BDRR, 20 dogs can be trained for veterans at a time.“These are rescue dogs that our trainers have picked out that have the right temperament and willingness to learn to be able to do this service for veterans,” Simmons said.Next week, the Rescue is breaking ground on a new 17,000 square feet facility that will allow them to train double their current capacity.WPBF to the Rescue: Meet Penelope the kittenThe new facility will be split into four wings: one to train service animals for veterans, two open for boarding of previously adopted dogs and the last to board active duty servicemember's dogs for free when they are deployed.“These soldiers cannot afford $35 dollars a day for boarding," Simmons said. "They don’t make that kind of money.”The facility is being sponsored by Elaine and Ken Langone, but the idea is for revenue from public boarding to support the care of veteran and military pets.While BDRR does offer free boarding for service members already, the dogs are kept with adoptable pets.The new facility will keep them separated from pets still looking for forever homes and make space for the rescue to take in more pets.It will take about nine months for the Patriot Pet Boarding Lodge to be built.To learn more about adoptable pets or how to get involved at BDRR, click here.

LOXAHATCHEE, Fla. —

Big Dog Ranch Rescue is breaking ground on a facility that will allow the Rescue to expand its veteran service dog training program and board dogs for free if their owner is deployed in the military.

Terry Braun was just 20 when he was drafted and deployed to Cambodia. He received a Purple Heart for his service, but the impact of his time in combat still lingers.

“I finally applied for VA benefits in 2016," Braun said. "My wife realized I was suffering from PTSD. I thought it was normal because we shoved everything back.”

Several doctors suggested he get a service animal, and now Alfred, a two-year-old Golden Retriever, is going through training at Big Dog Ranch Rescue.

WPBF to the Rescue: Tango

“I’m going to rely on him for support," Braun said. "I still have flashbacks. I still have nightmares.”

Lauree Simmons, the founder of BDRR, said Alfred was rescued from slaughter at a market in China.

“He had his own PTSD," Simmons said. "He was very scared of people. Within a few months, these trainers turned him around.”

Right now at BDRR, 20 dogs can be trained for veterans at a time.

“These are rescue dogs that our trainers have picked out that have the right temperament and willingness to learn to be able to do this service for veterans,” Simmons said.

Next week, the Rescue is breaking ground on a new 17,000 square feet facility that will allow them to train double their current capacity.

WPBF to the Rescue: Meet Penelope the kitten

The new facility will be split into four wings: one to train service animals for veterans, two open for boarding of previously adopted dogs and the last to board active duty servicemember's dogs for free when they are deployed.

“These soldiers cannot afford $35 dollars a day for boarding," Simmons said. "They don’t make that kind of money.”

The facility is being sponsored by Elaine and Ken Langone, but the idea is for revenue from public boarding to support the care of veteran and military pets.

While BDRR does offer free boarding for service members already, the dogs are kept with adoptable pets.

The new facility will keep them separated from pets still looking for forever homes and make space for the rescue to take in more pets.

It will take about nine months for the Patriot Pet Boarding Lodge to be built.

To learn more about adoptable pets or how to get involved at BDRR, click here.

Big Dog Ranch Rescue expanding service dog training program for veterans

Big Dog Ranch Rescue is breaking ground on a facility that will allow the Rescue to expand its veteran service dog training program and board dogs for free if their owner is deployed in the military.

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