Wolves and Warriors: Rescuing wolves helps combat veterans overcome trauma in new Animal Planet series

Combat veterans find help dealing with the traumas of war in an unlikely place on a new Animal Planet series starting this weekend — wolves!

Wolves and Warriors, which premieres on Saturday at 10pm ET/PT, follows the efforts of the Lockwood Animal Rescue Center (LARC) in Frazier Park, California.

The private sanctuary is run by U.S. Navy veteran Matt Simmons and his wife Dr. Lorin Lindner. It rescues wolves and wolf-dog hybrids, then pairs them with combat veterans in a bid to help them overcome PTSD.

The veterans employed by LARC help to both rescue wolves — who are under threat from poachers, illegal breeders, and a whole host of other dangers — and then care for them.

In Monsters and Critics’ exclusive clip from the season premiere, the team get ready for a mission to rescue a grey wolf called Sadira from a backyard in Oregon, who later must undergo a life-or-death medical procedure.

Still from Wolves and Warriors — Rescuing wolves and caring for them can have a huge positive effect on combat veterans

Wolf in Wolves and Warriors — The series also looks at the behavior and personalities of individual wolves

The series, produced by Leftfield Pictures, gives viewers a chance to see never-before-seen footage of wolf rescues, and also helps shed light on the animals’ behavior and personalities.

Also featured are investigations into underground fur-farms, and a focus on the positive effects that caring for and rescuing wolves can have on veterans as they attempt to heal from their past traumas and find their place back in civilian society.

Wolves and Warriors premieres this Saturday, September 1, at 10pm ET/PT on Animal Planet.