I was so honored this past Friday to go and volunteer at Freedom. After you have gone through their volunteer training, you can show up at will and just say here I am, what can I do?!
This past Friday they had a list of pups that just needed a 20 minute walk, and so I took out one after another and we walked together on a trail close to FSD.
It was a little chilly that day but I soon warmed up.... my little pups walking alongside me just kept looking up at me as if to say, "I am so glad to get out of my kennel!" It was a real treat for me.
My sweet friend who came along with me stayed inside and brushed one dog named HOLMES. He was a sweetheart too, and you could see he loved being loved on.... he was a brown poodle/mix.
I always look forward to my visits at Freedom and I am so impressed by the love of all the trainers on these lucky dogs. They are all rescued from shelters and so it is a win-win situation. The dogs begin a new life of service and someone in need receives a much wanted service or therapy dog.
I have also fostered a few dogs as well: one dog I had for several weeks while her foster Dad was out of the country. Her name is Cinder and she will always hold a special place in my heart.
I get to watch Cinder go through her training now, watch her grow up (she is a year old) and then graduate in the Freedom program. I will be there at that graduation and I am looking forward to meeting the person who gets her for the rest of their life.
If you are interested, please go to Freedom Service Dogs site and they are on Facebook too. You can make a donation there as well if you are led to do so. It does take $25,000 to train a service dog from start to finish. So keep them in mind if you love dogs, want a wonderful volunteer experience, or just want to donate to them.
Dogs are so special and may we always cherish their unconditional love for us!
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