NEADS Nation
On Saturday, June 1, NEADS hosted a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to celebrate the completion of its new, state-of-the art Canine Center. NEADS was honored to have special guest Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, guest speaker MA State Representative Kimberly Ferguson, and keynote speaker Congressman Jim McGovern take part in the ceremony. After a short presentation and…
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At NEADS, the health of our dogs is crucial. In fact, along with training and temperament, healthcare is one of the three key elements in the making of a World Class Service Dog. Merck Animal Health has supported our healthcare efforts for many years, donating all our vaccines, Bravecto® for dogs over 6 months old,…
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NEADS held its 77th Graduation in April at Monty Tech to celebrate its newest Service Dog teams. This spring’s graduating class represents a wide range of NEADS Service Dogs, including Service Dogs for Veterans, Service Dogs for individuals with physical disabilities, Service Dogs for Hearing, and Assistance Dogs for professionals in classroom, ministry, and hospital…
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On Saturday, May 4, NEADS held its third Pulling 4 Paws Truck Pull, a fundraiser/team strength competition in which participants work together to pull a full-sized flatbed truck. The event was held at Wachusett Brewing Company. During the Pulling 4 Paws Truck Pull, 15-member teams raced against the clock to see who could pull the…
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NEADS currently has nearly 60 Nursery, ELC (Early Learning Center), and Kennel volunteers. In 2018, they contributed more than 2,700 hours to do a wide range of activities, including: spending one-on-one time with the puppies in the nursery and ELC and dogs in the kennel; and assisting with kennel operations like stuffing kongs and helping…
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Just in time for National Dog Biscuit Day on Saturday, NEADS is kicking off a treat drive. Can you help us reach our goal of 200 bags of top-quality, high value treats? Our preferred treats are: Blue Buffalo Blue Sizzlers Bacon-Style Dog Treats Blue Buffalo BLUE Bits Training Dog Treats Merrick Mini Naturals Dog Treats…
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I have always been a dog person.
When I was injured in 2011, I briefly entertained the idea of having a dog, but felt I needed to take care of myself more and didn’t want to put extra responsibility on the caregivers who help me. You see, after my spinal cord injury, my life became a constant battle between different therapies, doctors’ appointments, home exercise, and just getting my life back to some normalcy. This took me a little over a year, but even then, I didn’t feel as though I could comfortably take care of a dog. Now that I have Oliver, I somewhat regret not getting a dog sooner.… but then, if I had gotten a dog sooner, it wouldn’t have been Oliver.
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At NEADS, it takes a nation to raise a World Class Service Dog. NEADS Nation is made up of many people contributing in many ways for many different reasons.
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NEADS is seeking volunteers to raise its puppies on a full-time basis. The Full-time Puppy Raisers will take our Service Dogs in Training into their homes and look after them for 12 to 16 months, working on critical socialization and basic obedience. When fully trained and matured, these Service Dogs go on to work with someone with a physical disability or hearing loss, a child with autism, or a veteran. Others become Assistance Dogs who work with professionals in hospital, classroom, and courthouse settings.
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NEADS held its 76th Graduation Ceremony on November 4 at Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School (“Monty Tech”) in Fitchburg, MA. Supported by family, friends, and NEADS staff, volunteer puppy raisers, and other supporters, NEADS Service Dog teams spoke about living with a Service Dog during a moving ceremony to celebrate their life-changing partnerships.In honor of…
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