Rob Tomlinson, Principal, and Natalie Furrier, both Retail Specialists with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, recently represented the landlord in a lease with Soldier’s Best Friend at Winterhaven Square, located at 3102 E Fort Lowell Road in Tucson. The nonprofit will occupy 1,788 square feet. This location opened on June 1st and marked its first dedicated facility in Tucson.
Soldier’s Best Friend is an Arizona-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission to pair U.S. veterans living with military service-related PTSD or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) with trained service or therapeutic companion dogs, most of which are rescued from local shelters. The veteran and dog work together with a trainer provided by Soldier’s Best Friend over a period of six to nine months and is officially registered as a service dog or emotional support animal. This model addresses two challenges for Tucson: supporting veterans and finding homes for displaced dogs.
Brandon Rodgers, Managing Director of Torch Properties, said, “We at Torch Properties are deeply thankful for our American veterans. Having Soldier’s Best Friend at Winterhaven Square is a point of pride for us and reflects our support for the men and women who have served our country. We join SBF in saluting our veterans and are grateful for the important work they are doing to support them.”
Since its founding in 2011 by Dr. John Burnham, the organization has steadily expanded its reach across Arizona, with training programs now operating in Phoenix, Prescott, Flagstaff, and Sierra Vista. To date, Soldier’s Best Friend has graduated 483 veteran-dog teams and rescued 380 homeless dogs across the state. In 2025 alone, the organization delivered more than 3,300 hours of training, and it has set a goal to serve 225 veterans in 2026.
As Mik Milem, executive director of Soldier’s Best Friend, told KVOA, “Opening our Tucson facility represents a significant step forward in ensuring more veterans have access to the support and resources they deserve. We are honored to deepen our presence in Southern Arizona and continue transforming lives—both human and canine.”
If you are interested in supporting Soldier’s Best Friend, consider making a direct donation or purchasing items from their Amazon wishlist. You can learn more about their mission and programs at soldiersbestfriend.org.
