54 service dogs and facility dogs will
"graduate" and begin their "professional lives" providing greater
independence to people with disabilities.
SANTA
ROSA, Calif., May 9, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- On Friday, May
10th, at six training centers across the country,
Canine Companions®, the first service dog organization in
the United States, holds its
national graduation ceremony (6 ceremonies nationwide). 54 service
dogs will graduate and be partnered with a person with
disabilities. Tails will wag and tears will flow as these dogs
graduate and find their purpose – providing support, care and love
to people with disabilities.
Canine Companions® graduation ceremonies are the culmination of
hard work, dedication, support and the generosity of thousands of
people. Witness the magical moment when volunteers
ceremoniously pass the leash of the dog they raised from puppyhood
- to the person whose life they will change forever. This labor of
love is roughly two years in the making.
"At Canine Companions®, we witness a significant milestone every
time one of our service and facility dogs are matched. As these
dogs take their first steps into their 'professional lives,' we not
only celebrate the profound impact they will make in their person's
life, but all the people who helped get them here," says
Paige Mazzoni, CEO of Canine
Companions®.
Canine Companions® "graduates" are expertly trained in more than
45 skills, including retrieving dropped items, opening doors,
pulling a wheelchair, supporting veterans with post-traumatic
stress disorders and more. All service dogs are provided at no cost
to adults, children and veterans with disabilities.
Join the graduation celebrations online or in person by visiting
canine.org/graduation.
- Southeast Region Graduation – Friday May
10, 2024, 11 a.m. ET
- Serving Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, North
Carolina, South Carolina,
Mississippi and Alabama
- Northeast Region Graduation – Friday May
10, 2024, 12:30 p.m. ET
- Serving New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Eastern
Pennsylvania, Maryland,
Washington DC, Virginia, West
Virginia, Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, Vermont, New
Hampshire and Maine
- North Central Region Graduation – Friday
May 10, 2024, 1 p.m. ET
- Serving Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska, North
Dakota, South Dakota and
Western Pennsylvania
- South Central Region Graduation – Friday
May 10, 2024, 12 p.m. CT
- Serving Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas
- Southwest Region Graduation – Friday May
10, 2024, 12 p.m. PT
- Serving Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New
Mexico, Southern
California, Southern Nevada
and Hawaii
- Northwest Region Graduation – Friday May
10, 2024, 12:30 p.m. PT
- Serving Northern California,
Northern Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Alaska
About Canine Companions®:
Canine
Companions® is leading the service dog industry so our clients and
their dogs can live with greater independence. Canine Companions®
provides service dogs to adults, children and veterans with
disabilities and facility dogs to professionals working in
healthcare, criminal justice and educational settings at no cost to
clients. Established in 1975, Canine Companions® has six regions
across the country serving all 50 states. Learn more at
canine.org.
Media Contact:
Jeanine
Konopelski
917-207-4060
377499@email4pr.com
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SOURCE Canine Companions®