PALMETTO, Fla. (WWSB) – A local nonprofit is looking for volunteers willing to open their homes to puppies that could one day change someone’s life.
Dogs Inc. is seeking volunteer puppy raisers to help prepare future guide and service dogs.
Oatmeal, a Dogs Inc. puppy, visited ABC7 News with Jenni Scamardo, Director of Puppy Raising Services, to help spread the word about the nonprofit’s need for volunteer puppy raisers.(WWSB)
Jenni Scamardo, Director of Puppy Raising Services for Dogs Inc., joined ABC7 with a special four-legged guest, Oatmeal, a Dogs Inc. puppy, to discuss how to get involved.
“We are always looking for more puppy raisers to join us,” Scamardo said.
Dogs Inc., a nonprofit based in Palmetto, provides guide dogs to people with vision loss and service dogs to veterans. The dogs are provided to recipients at no cost.
Volunteer puppy raisers play an important role in getting those dogs ready for their future work.
“It is a lot of work. Raising a puppy is a commitment,” Scamardo said. “Without puppy raisers, we can’t fulfill our mission.”
Raisers bring a puppy into their home and help provide the socialization and foundational skills the dog will need before returning to Dogs Inc. for additional training.
The commitment can also be more flexible than some potential volunteers may realize. Dogs Inc. offers opportunities to raise a puppy for three, six or 12 months, and volunteers can raise a puppy individually, with a co-raiser or as part of a team.
Dogs Inc. provides support throughout the process. The organization supplies a starter kit with items including a leash, collar, initial food and crate, covers approved veterinary expenses and provides heartworm and parasite preventatives. Raisers also receive training and ongoing support, including puppy kindergarten and monthly classes.
Scamardo said the goal is to expose the puppies to the world around them and help build the confidence and skills they will eventually need as working dogs.
Interested in becoming a puppy raiser?
Dogs Inc. is holding another Puppy Raiser Info Session on Friday, Sept. 18, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at its Palmetto campus, 4210 77th Street East.
The session will explain the responsibilities involved in raising a future guide or service dog, the training and support Dogs Inc. provides and what volunteers can expect throughout the experience. It is also an opportunity to ask questions before deciding whether puppy raising is a good fit.
For more information about Dogs Inc. and its volunteer puppy-raising program, visit the organization’s website.
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