If you are interested in joining the Saint Francis Family of volunteers, click here to complete
the Volunteer Questionnaire form online. Once we receive your information, we will
contact to you to discuss your area of interest.
If you are presently a Saint Francis volunteer and would like to explore other volunteer
options, please contact us.
For questions or additional information about how you can help Saint Francis
Service Dogs, contact us at info@saintfrancisdogs.org
or call 540.342.DOGS (3647).
Another important way you can help is by sharing Saint Francis Service Dogs
with others. If you are aware of family, friends, clubs or organizations that might
be interested in services or interested in volunteer opportunities, we hope you
will share your knowledge and direct them to us.
Click Here to see a list of Current Volunteer Announcements!
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It really does take a village to raise and place a Saint Francis Service Dog. Saint Francis
would not be able to continue our mission without the tireless efforts of hundreds of
dedicated volunteers.
We invite you to join our Saint Francis Family by becoming involved in special events, by
being a dog walker, puppy raiser, puppy sitter, foster family or undertaking a service
project at our training facility. The list is long and varied. We welcome all levels of
involvement, and work hard to provide our volunteers with a unique and fulfilling
experience.
Below are brief descriptions of our volunteer programs that always need a helping hand or
loving home:
• Puppy Raisers: Puppy raisers open their homes and hearts to future service
dogs, raising puppies for approximately one year and helping them learn their basic
obedience skills before returning them to Saint Francis Service Dogs for advanced
training.
• Puppy/Dog Sitters: Puppy/dog sitters look after Saint Francis puppies and dogs
on weekends or for periods of one or two weeks while their regular puppy raisers are
on vacation or to give dogs in training a change of scenery. Sitters help our Saint
Francis puppies and dogs by exposing them to new friends and different places.
• Prison Pup Program Transport: Rotating puppies in and out of Bland Correctional
Facility is an important part of the puppy program which is done on a regular basis.
Volunteers use their own vehicles to transport puppies back and forth for vaccines, hip
evaluations, spay/neuter and socialization with sitters. Transportation trips are
scheduled on Tuesdays and Fridays during the day.
• Special Events: Volunteering to assist with a Saint Francis fundraising event is a
wonderful way to have a great time while you help us strengthen our organization
and mission. Our signature events could not take place without our army of helpers,
and we appreciate each and every one.
• Service Projects: If your civic group, scout troop, fraternal organization or
business is seeking a cooperative working and learning experience, a project at the
Saint Francis Training Center may be right for you.
• Reading Program: The Reading Program enables you and your dog to work as a
volunteer team with Saint Francis. Below are the general qualifications for
participating in the Saint Francis Reading Program.
• All volunteers are considered regardless of race, breed, color, religion,
marital status, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability or veteran's
status. Handler must be a legal adult.
• All dogs/handler teams participating in the program must be Delta-certified
therapy dog teams.
• Volunteer must show ability and willingness to interact with children to
increase their reading ability and their enjoyment of reading.
• Volunteer must be able to commit and consistently attend reading programs
as scheduled in the selected school(s).
Volunteering