Canine Companions

Joe was riding his bicycle when a driver ran a red light. That was the day that changed my life forever, shares Joe. The accident left Joe a quadriplegic and dependent on others for even simple tasks. Upon learning of Canine Companions for Independence, Joe knew a service dog was exactly what he needed. In 2019 Joe and Service Dog Helios became a team. Joe was the featured speaker at the 24th annual Tales & Tails Gala. You can still make a donation to help us make more matches like Joe and Helios. And learn more about their journey in this video.

Need more cute in your life? Canine Companions for Independence has you covered all year long! With 12 months of puppies in our 2021 Puppy Calendar, you can get your daily dose of awwww. Order the 2021 Puppy Calendar with a donation of $25 and get $60 in coupons from Eukanuba, by visiting cci.org/calendar.

Perfect Pairing Auctioneer Fred Granados says time is running out to register for pre-event delivery of fine wine and chocolates for "The Perfect Pairing" virtual event! Be sure to register at cci.org/perfectpairingLIVE We've almost reached our first 150 registrants, Don't miss the deadline to receive our pre-event package of fine wine and chocolate. Please help us meet our goal!... Here's auctioneer Fred to tell you how you can register for our Perfect Pairing event taking place Wednesday November 18 at 6 p.m. EST. With each ticket you purchase to The Perfect Pairing, you’ll receive two bottles of fine wine paired with gourmet chocolates to enjoy during this virtual event led by a sommelier and chocolatier, plus a live and silent auction. Your participation and support will help Canine Companions continue its perfect pairings of assistance dogs with people with disabilities. Register by October 30 so you don’t miss out. Cheers to 45 years of making a difference! We hope you'll join us.

This #GratiTuesday, we would like to recognize DogFest North Central’s top fundraiser, Jim Caprio! Jim was named this year’s Best in Show for raising a total of $18,400 on his individual DogFest fundraising page. In addition to the gracious support Jim has provided to the North Central Region’s DogFest event for several years, Jim is also an active member of our amazing Pittsburgh Volunteer Group. He and his Canine Companions release dog, Eddie, are passionate ambassadors of our mission, and Jim is always looking for new ways to support our work. Thank you for everything you do, Jim!

Canine Companions Team Training classes are starting this week! Congratulations to the participants; we are looking forward to working with and matching them with their new assistance dogs. Thank you to the supporters, donor, volunteers and puppy raisers for making this possible. #giveadogajob

Yappy Hour at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel may be on pause, but not their beloved Yappy Howl-O-Ween Costume Contest! The contest begins on Monday, October 26th and runs through Sunday, November 1, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. The cost to enter is $10 per dog, per category, with all proceeds supporting The Veterans Initiative of Canines Companions for Independence. Enter starting Monday at www.yappyhourcostumecontest.com. Winners will be announced the week of November 2nd on the contest website, via email, and The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel's social media.