Become a Puppy Raiser
Our Volunteer Puppy Raisers are indispensable to our providing free service dogs to people with physical disabilities other than blindness and Veterans with PTSD. This is a Volunteer Opportunity where you’ll really make an impact! Help someone less fortunate. You’ll live with a great dog for 6, 12 or 18 months – your choice. Our trainers will guide and support you.
This is an intellectually fascinating process; converting a pup into a Service Dog. You’ll be Lifting Up 2 Lives – the mixed breed rescue pup you raise, and its person. Either as a service dog, or a release dog, our pups transform the life of their person – helping them to live happier, fuller, more independent lives.Â
As a puppy raiser, your efforts will make a direct impact! We provide you with supplies, food, grooming, and vet care for the pup – you provide transportation to take the pup out to socialize, to the vet, groomer, training sessions, etc.
For more information, please contact us at info@putnamservicedogs.org
Non-Dog Volunteer Opportunities
We also need volunteers to help us at our fundraising events. This involves usually 3 hours of time. Upcoming events are posted under Events.
If you have specialized skills and experience – marketing, fundraising, computer, data entry, administration, etc., we could use your help!
For more information regarding these non-dog Volunteer opportunities, please contact us at info@putnamservicedogs.orgÂ
Vacation Relief Home & Weekend Fosters
Vacation Relief Homes care for our pups when our raisers need relief – usually for a few days to a few weeks. Our trainers will teach you how to care for our pups, consistent with our training approach. The raisers will bring the pup, and all its needed supplies to your home. You’ll be asked to help us ocassionally – probably once every couple of months or so. This is an essential Volunteer position for us, but not one that requires effort every day of the year, as our Volunteer Puppy Raiser opportunity does.
Weekend Fosters pick up a pup and all its supplies Friday by 4pm at our Brewster, NY Center, and return all Monday after 9am. Your role is to further socialize our pup to a new home and people, keep the pup safe and happy, and give our Center employees the weekend off once a month!