Nicole Swanson works for the Augusta State Medical Prison in Georgia as an occupational therapist. She works with inmates who are recovering from surgery or an injury, underlying illnesses and inmates who have feelings of isolation and depression. But, she wanted another tool to help her patients. Nicole was matched with Facility Dog Westley in February. “Westley doesn’t care why the inmates are here. He helps with balance, sensory issues and therapeutic interventions,” she says. “He has brought joy to so many people – including our staff. He has allowed me to connect with my patients in a much more positive way.”
Send your loved ones some holiday cheer with a side of precious puppies! We have new holiday notecards for 2022 available at our online store, with various adorable puppy images and holiday messages. Be sure to mail your friends and family some extra love this holiday season.
Kansas City Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis will be wearing hand painted cleats on Sunday, December 4, as the Chiefs play against the Cincinnati Bengals! These cleats will be auctioned off, and the proceeds will benefit Canine Companions. Karlaftis chose to partner with us after meeting first grader and graduate Patrick and his service dog, Julio.
Welcome future service dogs into your home by ordering a copy of our infamous puppy calendar – for all your loved ones (and for you, too). All it takes is a $25 donation to support our mission, and in return, you get 365 days of precious puppies and coupons from Eukanuba, worth up to $60!
In The News
- CBS News, 60 Minutes: Studying the Genetics and Evolution of Dogs’ Friendliness *
- Fairfax County Times, Viginia: Service Dog Is the New Star in County CPS’ Sexual Abuse Unit *
- CBS News, San Francisco: Contra Costa DA Gets Canine Assistance When Working With Children on Cases*
- Loudoun Now, Virginia: Future Canine Companions Service Dogs Land in Style at Leesburg Airport*
- FOX4, Dallas/Fort Worth: Family of Richardson Boy Who Received Service Dog Meets Those Who Raised, Trained Her*
- News12, Bronx: Ronkonkoma Man and His Dog Receive Outstanding Service Award From Canine Companions*
More From Canine Companions
- More ways to give! Donate to make an impact.
- Learn more about the Canine Companions science and research team.
- Gifting made easy: Shop online for Canine Companions gear for everyone.*
- It’s time to plan for the new year – FreeWill makes the process easy for you and your family.*
- Celebrate the holidays with St. Francis wine! For every bottle purchased, they’ll donate $1 (up to $100,000)!
- Join our team! Use your skills to make an impact on our community.
- Check out valuable resources about service dogs and disability communities.
*Please be aware that by clicking these links — you are visiting sites that are not managed by Canine Companions. Website security, accessibility and privacy policies may be different than Canine Companions policies. Please read their policies closely.