OXFORD, Maine — After some delays, construction on a first-of-its-kind training center for service and therapy dogs is back on track. The center is the vision of a Maine Army veteran. Christy Gardner credits her service dog for helping her get through tough times.
Enduring devastating injuries while serving as a sergeant in the U.S. Army led Christy Gardner to have both of her legs amputated below the knee. That life-changing partnership with Moxie, a golden retriever, is an inspiration behind her non-profit Mission Working Dogs.
Gardner wants to train more service animals to meet the demand to help others struggling with physical disabilities and mental health issues, and to help them live more independent lives.
There is a lot of activity going on in this stretch of land nestled in the woods. Crews are unloading trusses, foundations have been poured, and frames are up at this new training center for service and therapy dogs.
"We have an extra one hundred thousand dollars in the gravel alone," Gardner quipped.
Gardner, her new service dog Doug, and nearly 50 Mission Working Dog volunteers train dogs to work with people with physical disabilities and mental health issues such as PTSD.
"I wanted to pay that forward for other folks in need," Gardner said.
The new campus will feature 10 buildings, including this training center which will be set up like a home. This is where dogs will learn how to help clients in the real world.
"They have to learn to do light switches, handicap access buttons for doors, fetching things out of the washer and dryer," Gardner explained.
The $2.1 million internationally accredited center will feature kennels, indoor and outdoor runs, and private cabins where clients can stay.
"For two weeks of what we call team training. So you'll be able to bond with the dog before we graduate," Gardner explained.
Training the dogs takes two years -- something volunteers Debbie Conley and Roz Walton know firsthand.
"It's time, energy, commitment, and making sure the dogs have an attachment," Walton said.
The nonprofit is recruiting volunteers and raising funds and supplies for the new center, which is expected to open next summer. The Elmina B. Sewell Foundation has pledged to match donations toward the training center up to $70 thousand by Dec. 1.
As for Christy's beloved Moxie, her legacy of service lives on.
"There is a road named after her and there will be a statue of her on the campus," Gardner said.