Canine Companions 50th Anniversary logo
The Atlanta Chapter of Canine Companions will host a screening of award-winning short film Andy: A Dog’s Tale with an appearance by director Jamy Wheless at Fetch Park Alpharetta, 11440 Maxwell Road, at 7 p.m. on June 2.
Meet volunteers and service dog puppies in training at the Canine Companions booth during the GoPro Mountain Games in Vail, Colorado, June 4-7.
Thousands are waiting for a life-changing dog; meet the top service dog organization this week in Atlanta and Vail
SANTA ROSA, CA, UNITED STATES, June 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Every service dog starts as a puppy that needs a loving home for 18 months before entering professional training. And right now, there aren’t enough.
National nonprofit Canine Companions is urgently recruiting volunteer puppy raisers to address a global shortage that has left more than 500 people waiting for a service dog, with thousands more in need. Canine Companions created the concept of the modern service dog in 1975 and provides expertly trained dogs, free of charge, to adults, children and veterans with disabilities.
The scale of the shortage is significant. More than 70 million Americans live with a disability according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, yet fewer than 1% have a service dog. Data from Assistance Dogs International shows that more than 28,000 active service dog teams were working worldwide in 2024, while more than 9,000 people with disabilities remained on waitlists. Canine Companions trained roughly one-third of all active teams nationally, putting the nonprofit at the center of the sector’s response.
“We need puppy raisers to help us get these amazing dogs ready to change a life. Recruiting volunteers is our most urgent priority. If raising a puppy isn’t the right fit, we ask you to consider being a canine transport volunteer,” said Paige Mazzoni, CEO of Canine Companions. “It may feel like a small contribution, but that drive to the airport or overnight stay in your home is the first chapter of a story that ends with someone’s life being transformed.”
The primary bottleneck is a lack of volunteer puppy raisers who bring puppies into their homes, provide daily care, attend training classes and expose the dogs to real-world environments — stores, restaurants, public transportation — that prepare them for professional training. At approximately 18 months of age, dogs return to Canine Companions to learn more than 45 specialized tasks, including picking up dropped items, opening doors and alerting to sounds.
No prior dog training experience is required to raise a future service dog. Canine Companions provides comprehensive guidance on training, diet and socialization and connects volunteers with established puppy-raising communities through eight regional training centers across the country.
“It is something truly special when Canine Companions is part of a community,” said Nick Kemp, president of Canine Companions’ Southwest Region Board and a longtime volunteer puppy raiser. “People are drawn by the dogs, but what keeps them involved is the connections they build. Puppy raisers often say, ‘You come for the dogs, but you stay for the people.’”
Where can I learn more about volunteering to raise a puppy?
Canine Companions volunteers attend events across the country to share the mission and recruit new puppy raisers, including two this week:
Discover Andy: A Dog’s Tale | Tuesday, June 2 | Fetch Park Alpharetta, Georgia
The Atlanta Chapter of Canine Companions will host an evening at Fetch Park Alpharetta, 11440 Maxwell Road, at 7 p.m. The event features a live reading of the children’s book “Andy: A Dog’s Tale” and a screening of the viral animated short film of the same name by Jamy Wheless, whose credits include “Star Wars” and “Transformers.” Jamy will be present to sign purchased books while Canine Companions volunteers answer questions about getting involved. Details at https://fetchpark.com/locations/alpharetta.
Canine Companions at the GoPro Mountain Games | June 4-7 | Vail, Colorado
Meet service dog puppies in training at the Canine Companions booth during the GoPro Mountain Games in Vail, June 4-7, 2026. Volunteers will give future service dog training demonstrations at 12pm and 3pm each day and be available throughout the weekend to share information about puppy raising, transporting and other ways to support the mission. The games feature professional and amateur athletes competing in trail running, climbing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, mountain biking, disc golf and dog-friendly competitions. Details at https://mountaingames.com.
To connect with the organization in your area, follow Canine Companions on social media and watch for #PuppyNation events during National Service Dog Month in September. Learn more about raising a future service dog online at https://canine.org/pupvol.
What other ways can I help Canine Companions?
For those not quite ready to commit to a 18-month puppy-raising role, Canine Companions also needs transport volunteers, who deliver 8-week-old puppies from regional airports to their raisers’ homes, help move dogs between regions to begin professional training and may host dogs overnight.
Other ways to support Canine Companions include:
– Sponsoring a puppy to help pay for its care
– Sharing @CanineOrg on your social media with tags #CanineCompanions, #CaninePuppyRaiser, #PuppyNation
– Donating to support service dog training
– Attend a DogFest, become a Junior Ambassador or start a College Club
Find out more about these programs at https://canine.org/getinvolved.
About Canine Companions
Canine Companions is a 501(c)(3) non-profit celebrating 50 years of empowering people with disabilities to live with greater independence. Expertly trained service dogs are provided at no cost to clients, supported entirely by donations and volunteers. Donate and learn more at www.canine.org.
Organization: Canine Companions® for Independence, Inc.
Year Founded: 1975
Headquarters: Santa Rosa, California
Mission: Provide expertly trained service dogs, at no cost to recipients
Recipients: 8,700+ to-date
Cost to recipients: $0 (completely free of charge to recipients, fully funded through donations)
Scope: Serving adults, children, veterans and professionals working in health care, law enforcement and educational settings nationwide
Service Area: All 50 U.S. States
Tami Kelly
Canine Companions
+1 925-640-9997
email us here
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability
for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this
article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
