Puppy Program overview

Read the story of
Monty and Sarah

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Breeders
Early Learning Center Volunteers
Puppy Raisers
Weekend puppy raisers
Veterinarians

Breeders

NEADS does not have a breeding program of its own. We rely on the generosity of breeders and other service dog organizations’ breeding programs to fill our puppy program.

NEADS accepts healthy, purebred Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Smooth Collie, and Standard Poodle puppy donations into our service dog program.

Puppies must be between the ages of 8 and 12 weeks, in good health, free of internal and external parasites, and have sound temperaments.
We require a health certificate from a veterinarian within seven days and proof of at least one distemper/parvo vaccination.
Both parents must have OFA or Penn Hip clearances and a CERF within one year.
We will provide you with in-kind donation recognition for tax purposes for the value of the puppy.

Thank you in advance for considering making a donation to NEADS’ puppy program. Without donations from many generous dog breeders our program would not be possible.

For more information on donating puppies, please contact:

Cindy Lopez
Puppy Program Coordinator
978 422-9064 ext. 24
clopez@neads.org

Early Learning Center Volunteers

Puppies start their journey to careers as service dogs at the Early Learning Center (ELC) on our Princeton, MA campus. Pups live in the ELC from the ages of 8 weeks to 16 weeks during a crucial stage of development. We need volunteers to help us:

Supervise puppy play groups

Take puppies on field trips

Socialize puppies

Walk and play with puppies

For more info, contact Cindy Lopez at: clopez@neads.org

Puppy Raisers

Puppy raisers open their hearts and their homes to puppies for approximately one year and are responsible for building on the foundation begun in the Early Learning Center. Before you decide to foster one of our adorable, energetic puppies you may want to consider what NEADS needs from you. They include:

Providing a safe, healthy and loving home for a puppy
Socializing the puppy in public
Working on teaching the puppy good manners
Attending weekly training classes with the foster family coordinator or a local trainer approved by NEADS
Attending regular meetings with your chapter coordinator
Submitting written monthly progress reports
Committing to one full year of fostering
Following NEADS guidelines and procedures as outlined by the puppy program
Providing adequate daily exercise as recommended by the Foster Family Coordinator

NEADS will provide you with:

Education, support and assistance to help you succeed with your responsibilities
Medical services, or access to medical services, for puppies in need
Food for your puppy

All of our puppy raisers live in the northeast.

For general information and puppy chapter in MA please contact Dave Hessel, dhessel@neads.org

Weekend puppy raisers

Many of our puppies are being raised in correctional facilities through our Prison PUP Partnership. Inmates in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island work with puppies during the week. Weekend puppy raisers take the pups out each weekend to work on house manners, socialization, and supplementing the inmate handlers’ training. Before you decide to become a weekend puppy raiser for one of our adorable, energetic puppies you may want to consider what NEADS needs from you. They include:

Attending training sessions at least once a month
Submitting weekly progress reports in a timely manner
Taking the pup out of the correctional facility at least three times a month
Practicing training and socialization exercises as directed by your NEADS trainer
Providing adequate daily exercise as recommended by your NEADS trainer
Providing a safe environment for the pup

NEADS will provide you with:

Education, support and assistance to help you succeed with your responsibilities
Medical services, or access to medical services, for puppies in need
Food for your puppy

For more information, please contact: Dave Hessel, dhessel@neads.org

Veterinarians

Generous veterinarians are needed to donate their services for puppies during the important first year of life. If you can help care for a puppy's medical needs, please let us know by contacting the chapter coordinator for your state.