Shown from left are Kevin Cummings, Felicia Rose, service dog Maverick, Craig Schuck of American Poly Flooring, William Glenn as well as Linda and Richard Lovering during the recent opening of the Linda and Rich Lovering Training and Enrichment Center in Hollis. Courtesy photo/Operation Delta Dog

HOLLIS — Operation Delta Dog recently celebrated the opening of the Linda and Rich Lovering Training and Enrichment Center at 19D Clinton Dr. in Hollis.

At 2,000 square feet, the center will serve as a training facility where dogs will become “specialized service companions” for veterans who are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, a traumatic brain injury and military sexual trauma. The center’s opening also responds to the growing need for additional service dogs.

“As mental health challenges among veterans continue to rise, the need for highly trained service dogs has never been more urgent. The Rich and Linda Lovering Training and Enrichment Center gives us the space and resources to rescue more dogs in need of a home and prepare them to become life-saving companions for Massachusetts and New Hampshire veterans,” said OPDD Executive Director Charlotte Troddyn. “For the first time in our 13-year history, we have the capacity to train larger class sizes and move closer to our goal of ensuring that every veteran in need within our service region is paired with a specialized service dog at absolutely no cost to them. This facility represents hope, healing, and a future where no veteran has to wait for the support they deserve.”

The center will feature a classroom large enough for trainers to lead up to 12 Delta Teams at a time. There are also indoor and outdoor enrichment zones to augment the dogs’ physical and emotional wellbeing while they are in training. This will be accomplished through mental stimulation games and structured playtime.

The majority of dogs rescued by OPDD come from high-risk shelters and have little to no experience living in someone’s home let alone being their service animal. This will be rectified through the center’s Felicia Rose Home Away From Home, designed to train dogs on how to live in a home setting.

The ultimate objective is to match every veteran in the OPDD service area with a dog free of charge.