Canine Companions seeks more puppy raisers as service dog waitlists grow

By AI, Created 1:51 PM UTC, June 02, 2026, /AGP/ – Canine Companions is urging Americans to volunteer as puppy raisers and transport helpers as more than 500 people wait for a service dog and thousands more need one. The nonprofit is highlighting events in Atlanta and Vail this week as it tries to close a key staffing gap in the service dog pipeline.

Why it matters: - More volunteer puppy raisers could help reduce a global service dog shortage that leaves people with disabilities waiting for trained dogs. - Canine Companions provides service dogs at no cost, so volunteer capacity directly affects how many people can receive help. - Fewer than 1% of the more than 70 million Americans living with a disability have a service dog. - More than 9,000 people with disabilities were on service dog waitlists worldwide in 2024, according to Assistance Dogs International.

What happened: - Canine Companions launched an urgent recruitment push for volunteer puppy raisers and transport volunteers. - The nonprofit said more than 500 people are waiting for a service dog and thousands more need one. - The organization will promote volunteering at two events this week: an Atlanta gathering on Tuesday, June 2, and a booth at the GoPro Mountain Games in Vail, Colorado, June 4-7.

The details: - Puppy raisers take puppies into their homes for about 18 months before the dogs enter professional training. - Volunteer responsibilities include daily care, training classes and exposing puppies to stores, restaurants and public transportation. - After returning to Canine Companions at about 18 months old, dogs learn more than 45 specialized tasks, including picking up dropped items, opening doors and alerting to sounds. - No prior dog training experience is required. - Canine Companions provides guidance on training, diet and socialization and connects volunteers with puppy-raising communities through eight regional training centers. - At the Atlanta event, the Atlanta Chapter will host “Discover Andy: A Dog’s Tale” at Fetch Park Alpharetta, 11440 Maxwell Road, at 7 p.m. - The event includes a live reading of the children’s book “Andy: A Dog’s Tale,” a screening of the animated short film, and book signing by Jamy Wheless. - Details for the Atlanta event are available here. - At the GoPro Mountain Games, Canine Companions will bring service dog puppies in training to its booth and offer demonstrations at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. each day. - The Vail event will also include information on puppy raising, transporting and other ways to support the mission. - Details for the Vail event are available here. - Canine Companions says people can learn more about raising a future service dog online here. - The organization also directs supporters to more involvement options here.

Between the lines: - The recruitment effort shows the shortage is not only about trained dogs, but also about the volunteer pipeline that starts years earlier. - Canine Companions trained roughly one-third of all active service dog teams in the U.S., putting the nonprofit in a central role as demand outpaces supply. - The pitch extends beyond full-time puppy raising because transport volunteers can help move 8-week-old puppies from airports to raisers’ homes or between regions for training. - The volunteer ask leans on community-building as much as service, with leaders saying many people stay involved because of the relationships they build.

What’s next: - Canine Companions will continue recruiting during National Service Dog Month in September through #PuppyNation events. - The nonprofit is asking people in local communities to follow its social channels and look for volunteering opportunities throughout the year. - Supporters can also sponsor a puppy, donate, share the organization’s social accounts, attend a DogFest, become a Junior Ambassador or start a College Club.

The bottom line: - Canine Companions needs more people willing to raise or move puppies now if it wants to shorten waitlists later.