Urgent need for volunteeres to raise service dogs for NEADS

[LTS3]

NEADS, a well known organization that trains puppies to become service dogs, is in urgent need of volunteers in the local New England area (MA, RI, CT) to be full time puppy raises, weekend puppy raisers, or breeder caretakers. More information on each of the volunteer types and time commitment as well as an application for each can be found at:

Raise a Puppy - NEADS World Class Service Dogs

Become a volunteer Puppy Raiser. Change someone’s life when you help raise and train a future Service Dog.

neads.org

 

[neely]

This would be so tempting. I'd love to help out but unfortunately I do not live in the New England area.

 

[LTS3]

The NEADS web site has other ways you can support their organizations such as donations, fundraisers, buy items from their online shop, or just by naming their puppies Donate - NEADS World Class Service Dogs

A news station did a follow up story:

Wake Up Call: WCVB viewers answer call for puppy raiser volunteers

Thank you to the WCVB viewers who are volunteering to be puppy raisers!

www.wcvb.com

Since the original story aired, 21 applications and 26 session registrations were made by viewers

There are two virtual info sessions for anyone interested in being a volunteer:

Saturday, Feb. 12 at noon
Wednesday, Feb. 16 at 6 p.m.

 

[fionasmom]

I have a friend nearby who used to continually home raise goldens for a CA organization. People don't realize how many dogs do not make it because of some small flaw; they always go to good homes as there is a waiting list for those pups, but to actually have a perfectly trained service dog requires a huge amount of work, along with the right dog for the job.

 

[LTS3]

Same with the volunteers - not everyone who applies to be a volunteer will be chosen. There's an vetting process to select the right people to raise the puppies.

I posted the news station article on the Slack channel at work. There are lots of dog people at work. Maybe some people will apply to be a volunteer or just spread the word through social media.

There's more info about the weekend puppy raiser volunteer opportunity here: These puppies spend the week in prison but need a family for the weekend Looks like only MA and RI residents are eligible to be a weekend puppy raiser.

Info on the full time puppy raiser opportunity: Full-time puppy raisers needed for service dogs in Massachusetts

 

[LTS3]

A NPR program devoted an entire hour to all things dogs including more info about NEADS and how they train the dogs: Special Hour: Radio Boston goes to the dogs

 

[LTS3]

More info on NEADS and the path of a puppy from being born to training to being matched with a person with disability: What makes a service dog?