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Big Julie's Rescue Ranch is a sanctuary for cows, horses, mules, donkeys, and any other creatures lucky enough to meet Roger Brincker, a retired schoolteacher who cares for them full-time in the heart of Alberta's beef-producing country. The Ranch is situated near the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, near Fort Macleod, Alberta, Canada. There are over 40 head of cattle, 17 horses, mules and donkeys, and over 25 dogs, plus many other smaller (but no less important) creatures who, over 71-hectares of land, are allowed to live and roam happily. Most of the cattle were rescued from the slaughterhouse and many of the dogs from the local pound, while the horses came from a nearby dog-food processing plant. All these creatures are now happy on the ranch. Who wouldnt be? It's a wonderful thing to watch the dogs be able to run over acres and acres, unfettered by leashes or restraints, or to see cattle and horses munch hay peaceably underneath the shade of poplar trees. Roger knows that animals like shade so he's kept as many trees as possible. The animals live happily until they die naturally and are buried in marked spots on the ranch.

Roger's work rescuing animals began after working in Dawson City, Yukon, in the late seventies. He was appalled at the number of dogs abandoned by seasonal workers each autumn, so each year he drove van-loads of them to Edmonton where he found them permanent homes, collecting many of his own along the way. By 1980 his health had deteriorated to the point where he could no longer work, so he settled in Hillspring, close to Fort Macleod. The move to The Rescue Ranch happened in 1989, after it was decided that the Hillspring property was too small to afford the proper exercise space for the dogs.

Big Julie was the Hereford bull Roger named the ranch after. He was one of the first cows to arrive at the Ranch. He was named after Julius Caesar, both of them having being born by c-section. His mother, subsequently names Aurelia after Julius Caesars mother, and five others also arrived at this time. Rescued from a variety of dire circumstances, more animals soon followed.

Roger is an amazing person in many ways. To begin with, caring for over 80 animals is a massive job for any able-bodied person, but he suffers from Brown-Sequard Syndrome, a result of a gymnastics injury he suffered in 1959. His neck was broken and he was a quadriplegic for months. Ultimately, he was left with no sensation in one half of his body, and no power in the other. His spine is twisted out of alignment, which makes even just walking a painful, difficult experience. But Roger needs to do more than just walk. Anyone who has witnessed life on a farm knows there are bales of hay to be lifted, fences to fix, water to be hauled, and endless chores to perform, all of which take tremendous strength. The fact that Roger has dedicated his life to caring for the animals for so many years and under such difficult and physically painful conditions, is testimony of a person who truly loves all living things.