Jon Cavanaugh named Volunteer of the Year |
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Our annual Volunteer Appreciation event on April 1 was a howling success! Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating.
During this year’s event, we were honored to name FSD foster volunteer Jon Cavanaugh as our Werner Kaplan Volunteer of the Year. Since joining the FSD family, Jon has compassionately fostered nearly 80 dogs in training. Always willing to lend a helping hand, he embodies the kind, generous spirit of all our FSD volunteers.
We were also proud to celebrate our other nominees, volunteers Caryn Boude and Brian Johnson, for their incredible efforts in support of FSD. Congratulations to Jon, Caryn, and Brian!
For all the ways you contribute to our mission, we are so grateful for each and every one of you and we simply couldn’t do what we do without you.
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FSD introduces new volunteer orientation |
FSD is now hosting volunteer orientation classes for prospective volunteers! Volunteer orientation will serve as a general informational session that includes a tour of the FSD facility, information about who FSD is and how our dogs grow from puppies to lifechanging assistance dogs, details about all the incredible volunteer opportunities FSD has to offer, and the chance to ask any burning questions.
Volunteer orientation will be required for all new volunteers moving forward and will allow those interested to learn more about FSD and how they might best contribute to our mission before completing further steps in the orientation process.
We’re always in need of more volunteers! We encourage you to share more about our mission and volunteer program with friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers! Please direct interested parties to our website or have them contact Volunteer Manager Hannah Perruccio at 303-922-6231 x201 or hperruccio@freedomservicedogs.org.
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We've successfully moved to Salesforce |
We are pleased to share that our volunteer program has now completely shifted from Volgistics to Salesforce, a state-of-the-art customer relationship management system that helps us streamline our data systems and increase efficiencies
All volunteer shift scheduling, hour reporting, updating volunteer information, accessing personal information, and signing in and out for on-campus shifts will be completed within Salesforce moving forward.
We would like to thank you for your patience during this transitional period. Please contact our volunteer team at volunteer@freedomservicedogs.org with any questions.
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Stay cool in FSD apparel and accessories |
Ready to rep your FSD pride this summer? Shop the Freedom Service Dogs Official Store for our screen-printed apparel and accessories. Items are shipped directly to your home, anywhere in the country. We're always adding pawsome new designs, so be sure to check back often! The link can be found on our website under the GIVE tab, then WAYS TO GIVE.
You can also shop our FSD Staff and Volunteer Shop for a large variety of embroidered items at affordable prices. You order will be delivered and ready for pickup at the FSD facility within two weeks of purchase. The link can be found on our website under the GET INVOLVED tab, then VOLUNTEER. Look for the blue button!
No matter which store you shop, you'll feel good about your purchase knowing that the proceeds help fund our mission of transforming lives by partnering people with custom-trained assistance dogs. We are grateful for your support!
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Meet volunteer Alice Pitman |
“I started volunteering at FSD about 2 years ago. After seeing all the amazing work the dedicated team was accomplishing, I was hooked. You can now find me there almost every day participating with enrichment, playgroup, and other volunteer opportunities. I find it very rewarding to be a part of.”
This month we would like to shine a spotlight on dedicated enrichment and playgroup volunteer, Alice Pitman. In her nearly two years volunteering for FSD, she has helped bring joy and tail wags to dozens of our service dogs in training. Thank you, Alice, for your hard work, compassion, and dedication!
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Beat the heat: Summer safety tips for dogs |
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As we experience warm weather this summer, it’s important to keep the safety and wellbeing of FSD puppies and dogs (as well as your personal pets) top of mind. Remember to follow these important summer safety tips from the ASPCA:
- Heat stroke in dogs, which occurs when a dog’s temperature goes about 104 degrees Fahrenheit, can be deadly. Lookout for the following symptoms of overheating in dogs: excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart rate, drooling, weakness and lethargy, collapse, seizures, bloody diarrhea, and vomiting. If you notice any concerning symptoms, attempt to cool the dog down by pouring cool (never cold) water on the dog, provide them with water, and move them to a shaded area. Immediately notify the FSD Health Team and take them to the nearest emergency veterinary clinic.
- Never leave a puppy or dog in a car unattended for any length of time regardless of the circumstances.
- Be sure all puppies and dogs have access to fresh, cool water throughout the day.
- Do not leave puppies or dogs unsupervised around pools or bodies of water.
- Keep all unscreened windows or doors in your home closed and tightly secured to prevent escape.
- Do not walk puppies or dogs on hot concrete or asphalt without protection, such as ventilated dog booties. If you are unable to rest the back of your hand comfortably on the ground for more than ten seconds, the pavement may burn the dog’s paws. Consider walking the dog in the early morning or late evening to avoid the hottest times of the day.
- Keep the puppy or dog away from areas where you have applied herbicides and insecticides.
- Prevent dogs from accessing potentially harmful or toxic plants in your garden and home.
- Never use fireworks around puppies and dogs. Keep the dog in a secure area where they cannot escape when fireworks are in use.
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Community Events & Ongoing Partnerships |
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FREEDOM SERVICE DOGS OF AMERICA
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