Photo: NEADS
WESTFORD, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The non-profit NEADS is actively recruiting full-time puppy raisers in the Bay State.
Seven service dogs in training and approximately 100 puppy raisers gathered at Kimball Farms on Saturday to recognize the critical roles of volunteers to the organization and to celebrate National Service Dog Month. The appreciation event also served as a call for additional puppy raisers to help care for 9-week-old puppies that are scheduled to begin training this month to become service dogs for those in need.
"The clients that we really help the most are adults with mobile disabilities, adults with hearing loss, veterans with PTSD. We also help kids with autism and other disabilities," CEO Aubrey Henderson stated.
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NEADS currently has over 30 puppies waiting for someone to care for them while they attend training. When asked what qualifications are needed in order to be a puppy raiser, Henderson said a little TLC.
"You just basically need to love dogs. We train the puppy raisers and really work with them and the dogs," Henderson said. "So every week, you're getting some training from our team and learning new skills and tasks to teach the dogs."
The non-profit also needs Weekend Puppy Raisers who take the puppies out of the Prison Pup program each weekend for six to twelve months for training.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Jay Willet (@JayWilletWBZ) reports.