Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno always had a soft spot in his heart for animals of all types – something he learned at a young age from his grandmother, whom he lovingly referred to as “Nan.”
After his grandmother passed away in January 2021, Sheriff Marceno wanted to honor her memory, and with that, the concept of Nan’s Ranch was born.
The ranch, located on the grounds of the CORE jail facility in Lee County, benefits animals, inmates, and the community. Animals that have been rescued from abuse or neglect, surrendered, abandoned, or seized in criminal investigations make their homes on Nan’s Ranch.
“I’ve always loved animals, even before I was in law enforcement or took on the role as sheriff,” Sheriff Marceno said. “We have a duty to protect those that cannot protect themselves. Nan’s Ranch does just that. It is bad money turned good and is funded by seized drug money that we now use to care for animals. We’re able to operate at zero cost to the taxpayer.”
In addition to giving the animals a good home with plenty of space to roam and socialize, Nan’s Ranch offers select inmates a chance to learn skills that may benefit them when released from custody.
Inmates can qualify to work on the farm, caring for the animals and completing tasks like tending grounds, painting, and maintaining farm equipment. Eligible inmates must be serving on County time, have no violent felonies nor animal abuse/cruelty charges, and nothing on their records to indicate anger issues.
“The inmate workers may be in custody for a relatively minor offense, but now we’re gifting them an opportunity to learn a unique skill set they can truly benefit from,” said Sheriff Marceno. “The select group of inmates work outside in the fresh air alongside the animals, where the skills they learn can translate into job opportunities once they are released from custody.”
A number of Lee County Sheriff’s Office members, including Cpl. Brad Cruz and Dep. Angela Taylor, oversee ranch operations. They coordinate the care and feeding of animals as well as supervise male and female inmates as they tend to daily farm activities.
“It’s great to see them bond with the animals,” said Dep. Taylor. “Some of them have no background in farm work, but they embrace the opportunity and are grateful to learn.”
With a recently acquired trailer, Nan’s Ranch is now mobile, which brings a unique aspect to community engagement events that reach a multitude of audiences to include the older and younger population of Lee County.
Nan’s Ranch, which opened in May of 2022, is still expanding with the goal of becoming a 100-percent working facility. A large 12-stall barn is in the beginning stages of being built with a projected completion date of February 2024. Even at present, the ranch is acquiring more animals. Those include rescues, seized livestock, and even animals given up by their owners due to expense. The ranch is currently home to several cows, horses, goats, turtles, rabbits, alligators, donkeys, pigs, and more!
“I always said that if I got myself into a commanding position, I would change how people abuse or neglect animals,” said Sheriff Marceno, who also created an Animal Cruelty Task Force that investigates cases of suspected abuse or neglect. “Nan’s Ranch is an extension of that. Any animal that’s abused, neglected, or can no longer be cared for is welcomed here at Nan’s Ranch. We’ve truly made it our mission to ensure the ranch becomes paradise for all of the animals.”
SOURCE: TRENDMAG, A HEARTFELT LEGACY: Where Animals and Inmates Find Redemption