Burnaby's Pacific Assistance Dogs Society is looking for volunteers to help raise puppies destined to become assistance dogs for people with disabilities.
"This is about social justice, this is about helping the community get better, it's about enriching people's lives," said PADS spokesperson Kevin Pidwerbeski. "You know from the very beginning you're raising a dog to change a person's life."
The non-profit Burnaby group raises dogs to help people with hearing and mobility challenges, and they have three litters of Labrador retrievers that need homes for a year while the dogs receive weekly training.
PADS covers all the food and most of the vet costs. Volunteers have to take their puppies everywhere, be it work, school, home or play.
The dogs need to be comfortable in public places to prepare for their futures as assistance dogs.
Volunteers also have to take the dogs to weekly training sessions. After a year, the dogs go back to PADS for advanced training and placement with people with disabilities. The dogs are trained to do a number of things: turn on light switches, help with shopping, open and close doors, pull wheelchairs up hills, push elevator buttons and help people get dressed.
They can even pick up a dime or credit card from the floor.
PADS need about 20 people to volunteer to raise puppies. Interested people can apply by calling 6045270556, ext. 225.
PADS is also looking for sponsorships for each puppy. For $3,500, sponsors can name the puppy and help cover birthing and training costs.
Pacific Assistance Dogs has been helping people with assistance dogs for 25 years.
For more information, go to www. pads.ca.
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