Big Dog Ranch Rescue celebrated the grand opening of its new 18,000-square-foot Patriot Pet Lodge on Monday, Jan. 19, unveiled by board members and longtime supporters Ken and Elaine Langone, marking a major expansion of the organization’s veteran-focused initiatives.
The state-of-the-art facility significantly increases the rescue’s capacity to serve veterans and deployed service members by offering free dog boarding in 80 private rooms, accommodating up to 160 dogs, while also tripling the organization’s Veteran Dog Training Programs.
The ceremony was joined by Lauree Simmons, founder of Big Dog Ranch Rescue, along with board members, supporters, veterans and service dogs graduates. Director of Training Evan Fried highlighted the life-changing impact that service dogs continue to have on veterans transitioning back to civilian life.
“The Patriot Pet Lodge reflects our unwavering commitment to the men and women who have served our country,” Simmons said. “By removing the burden of pet care during deployment or times of need, we’re able to support veterans while ensuring that their dogs are safe, loved and cared for.”
The Veteran Service Dog Training Program has now trained more than 230 service dogs, all provided free of charge to veterans in need. The new lodge further strengthens Big Dog Ranch Rescue’s mission to combine animal welfare with meaningful community service.
Founded in 2008, Big Dog Ranch Rescue is the largest cage-free, no-kill dog rescue in the United States and has saved the lives of more than 85,000 dogs. For more information, visit www.bdrr.org.
