You are here: Puppy Raiser Resource Center >> Latest News & Information
Meet that Raiser – Steven Passios
Name: Steven Passios
Occupation: Sales Associate
Prison: Gardner
Current Pup: Ronnie, 1 year 5 months
How long have you been a Weekend Puppy Raiser and how many dogs have you raised? (Include furloughed dogs and the one you are currently raising).
Ronnie is my first dog.
What led you to Weekend Puppy Raising?
I was looking to volunteer at a dog shelter but none of them seemed to want any help. During my search I found NEADS and just a few weeks after I applied I got the invitation to come to orientation.
Ice Breakers
If you had your own talk show, who would your first 3 guests be?
Obama, Keanu Reeves, and Neil Degrasse Tyson
If you had one extra hour of free time a day what would you do with it?
Probably get some more sleep.
Would you rather be able to speak all foreign languages or talk to animals?
Speak with animals. It would be fun to know what they are trying to say.
If you could visit one place in the world where would it be and why?
I want to go to the Galapagos to meet all the different types of animals there.
Are you a listener or a talker?
I’m mostly a listener, but if you’ll let me I can talk someone’s ear off
Tell us your favorite part about being a Weekend Puppy Raiser or your favorite memory with one of the NEADS pups.
My favorite part about being a raiser is seeing the progression of the pups. Watching Ronnie go from a pup who had a hard time sitting still for five minutes to a dog who can stay in an airport for an hour makes me feel proud of what I’m doing.
As for a favorite memory, a couple of months back we went to visit a summer classroom where we got to meet the kids there. That day was good on its own but my favorite part was when they gave each of the pups a red bandana that represented one of their alumni who tragically lost his life on 9/11. When I put that bandana on Ronnie he seemed excited and proud to be wearing it. He wore it the rest of the day and even now brings it over to me so that he can wear it around the house.
