When Wendy Bigelow's middle school daughter wanted to donate her birthday money to help Veterans, the family had no idea it would lead to five years of fostering service dogs for American Heroes.
What started as a simple act of kindness grew into a meaningful mission that has touched their entire family — and the lives of Veterans across the country who now have professionally trained PTSD service dogs.
The Bigelow family's journey with Northwest Battle Buddies (NWBB) started in 2019. After meeting the team and seeing the work they do — as a thank you to Wendy’s daughter for donating her birthday money — the family found themselves connected to NWBB's network on social media.
"I saw a Facebook post saying they needed fosters, and we started to consider helping out," Wendy recalls. Shortly after, Wendy’s husband got on the phone with Dorothy, NWBB's foster coordinator, which led to a commitment that would change their lives.
The family already had their own dog — a friendly Vizsla — but Dorothy assured them this wouldn't be a problem as long as their dog got along well with others. After answering questions and talking through the process, they decided to take the leap.
Foster families for NWBB keep puppies from about eight weeks until they're almost a year old. During this time, they provide love, basic training, and socialization while following NWBB's outlined methods.
Wendy believes the best foster families understand the commitment involved in raising a puppy. They need to have someone available to provide attention and supervision — whether that's through working from home, sharing responsibilities among family members, or having a job that allows dogs.
Unlike regular pet fostering, NWBB fosters must follow specific guidelines designed to prepare for potential future service to Veterans. Families who foster service dogs receive a detailed puppy book with rules about feeding, training, and daily care.
"They're not crazy rules," she says. "The book outlines what, where, when, and how you need to feed them — for example, ‘Snacks go in the bowl.’ It's very basic. And in the end, we realized we should have done that with our own dog from the get-go."
The guidelines cover essential puppy basics like crate training and potty training, plus some unique requirements. For example, NWBB actually wants foster puppies to be comfortable on furniture and beds — because that's how they'll live with their Veteran partners. Wendy simply stored important furniture items in a locked room, or covered them with a sheet.
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Become a Foster for a Service Dog Change the life of a Veteran today! Join NWBB’s Puppy Foster program to play a pivotal role in providing essential support, ensuring that every service dog begins its journey in a loving home. |
One thing that sets NWBB apart is the strong support system they provide to foster families. Dorothy serves as the main contact person, and she's known for being responsive and helpful when questions arise.
"If you reach out to her, she's pretty quick to get back to you," Wendy shares. Whether it's a health concern, training question, or just needing guidance, foster families never feel alone in the process.
As the puppies grow, NWBB offers group training sessions where foster families can learn proper techniques for commands like "down" and how to use training collars when the dogs get bigger and stronger. The organization takes care of all veterinary costs, including shots and deworming, while foster families provide food and daily care.
They even handle vacation planning. When foster families decide to travel (for example, Wendy left for a three-week cruise), NWBB takes the puppies back to their facility temporarily, ensuring they're properly cared for until the family returns.
Perhaps the hardest part about choosing to foster service dogs is saying goodbye when it's time for the puppies to begin their formal training. After nearly a year of daily care, love, and bonding, giving up these furry family members isn't easy.
"It's tough," Wendy admits. "There's tears when every dog goes back."
The key, she explains, is going into the process with the right mindset and family buy-in. The Bigelows made it a family decision from the start, with their teenage children fully understanding that these weren't permanent pets.
What makes the goodbye bearable — even meaningful — is seeing the end result. Foster families are invited to graduation ceremonies where they can meet the Veteran who will receive their former foster puppy, now a fully trained PTSD service dog.
"At the graduation ceremony, you get to meet the Veteran and see that your dog is cared for, loved, and making a difference," Wendy explains. "When they share the changes in their lives and all the things they can do now that they've gotten the dog, even in that first six to eight weeks that they couldn't do before, it's pretty amazing."
The Bigelows even create photo books for each Veteran, showing their PTSD service dog as a puppy. It's a way to give these American Heroes a glimpse into their companion's early life — something they’d otherwise never see.
After fostering five dogs for NWBB, the Bigelow family took on an even bigger role. They're now guardians for Courage, a black lab who recently had 12 puppies for NWBB. While Courage stays at the facility during whelping and early puppy care, she returns to live with the family between litters.
This guardian role means they've temporarily stepped back from regular fostering, but their commitment to helping American Heroes remains strong.
For anyone considering the opportunity to foster service dogs, Wendy's advice is simple: "If you're thinking about it, definitely do it. It's worth it."
She encourages potential families who want to foster service dogs to ask questions — lots of them. Dorothy and the NWBB team are always ready to address concerns and help families determine if they're a good fit.
The reward of raising these special puppies goes far beyond puppy kisses and adorable moments, though those are certainly part of the joy. It's about being part of something bigger — helping to train the next generation of PTSD service dogs that will transform the lives of American Heroes, like Bucky and his PTSD service dog, who have given so much for our country.
"You just have this little thing that's adorable," Wendy says with a smile. "But having a puppy is also so much fun. And knowing that puppy is going to help a Veteran? That makes everything worth it."
Ready to make a difference for our American Heroes? Apply to foster service dogs and help Veterans battling PTSD discover healing and recovery through the life-changing bond with their canine partner. Fostering is just one of many ways you can help Veterans in need — if you don’t have the capacity to foster, you can also volunteer or sponsor a foster pup.