The Beginning

Hi everyone! We are Jeff and Dayna Candler, the proud owners of Hoof It Home Rescue. In 2016 we started a little hobby farm and would often take on livestock that were not in the best of health or were too small and needed the extra attention/care to get them up and going. We eventually started taking in farm animals of any age and size, even when they were just dumped off at our house. At times it became very overwhelming, but most of the time it gave us a great learning experience and we were able to create amazing bonds with the animals.

After many years of this we decided to become a legit, non-profit rescue. In 2024 we finally came up with a name for it. Hoof It Home Rescue. We chose this name, because in 2018 Jeff was severely injured in a military convoy accident, and it unfortunately ended his military career. Our family landed on some really hard times and in all honesty the livestock are what kept us going. No matter how bad of a day we were having, we could go out into the pasture or sheds and hang out with the animals. I guess you could say that gave us a sense of comfort and meaning. That eventually everything would be ok, even though it didn’t feel like it at that time. Once things turned around for us, I realized how important and how much that time with the animals really helped our family. In a way, I guess you could say that they saved us.

We watched as our friends, who were in combat with my husband, would go out into the pastures or help feed baby animals during chores. The joy and excitement on their faces said it all. They loved it and found a type of serenity in being with the animals. Eventually, some of them would just randomly come to our house just to spend that one on one time with the animals.

We eventually opened up our farm to disabled veterans, allowing them to come to our farm and interact with the animals as a means of healing. To give them a sense of peace and calm. There were a couple of times, where those few moments spent with the animals helped get these veterans out of a very dark state of mind. It made them realize that there is more to life. That there is still happiness and good times to be had. That they are important and do belong here. One of them told us, that it gave him a feeling of “home.” A place where he was always welcome and free of judgement.

Since that day, we have done our best to give back and help those in need. We are not counselors or therapists by any means, but we will always do our best to help individuals to the best of our ability whether it be allowing them to spend time with the animals, or simply just listening to them.

So, Hoof It Home Rescue seemed to be the perfect name. We like to think of it as “the journey home.” We aren’t just bringing the animals back to good health and finding them fantastic homes, but we’re helping veterans find the feeling and peace of what home is, by allowing them to spend that time with the animals. I guess you could say that it is a “common ground of understanding” in the healing process for both the animal and the soldier.

*Hoof It Home Rescue! The beginning of great things!