September/October 2024 Newsletter
🎉CELEBRATING SERVICE DOG MONTH🎉
Since 2008, the month of September has been designated National Service Dog Month, to celebrate and recognize the important role Service Dogs play in the lives of those with a disability. Service Dogs are trained to perform a variety of tasks that help people with disabilities live more independently. They are an essential part of daily life and can execute cues, or commands, such as reminding the person to take medications, picking up dropped items, or alleviating anxiety while out-and-about by interrupting anxiety-driven behaviors. Mutts With A Mission is proud to have placed over 100 Service Dogs, at no cost to the recipients, with either first responders, veterans or in various police departments. Four of these highly-trained canines are serving aboard U.S. Navy ships as Expeditionary Facility Dogs assisting with crew morale and mental health. MWAM pups are raised, cared for, and trained by dedicated puppy raiser volunteers for two years before graduating and proudly wearing their official Service Dog vests.
Here are some ways you can help:
Share With Others: Help raise awareness of the important work Service Dogs do by sharing our mission. You can do this by following Mutts With A Mission on social media, by liking and sharing our posts, and by sharing this newsletter with family, friends and co-workers.
Support: Consider donating your time by becoming a puppy raiser or volunteer at our training facility. Not enough time for that? Explore our Puppy Supply/Amazon Wishlist and think about purchasing a bag of food or chew toy. Monetary donations are always welcome and sponsorship opportunities are also available. On average, it costs $60,000 per dog, for the two years they are in training.
Get Involved: When you see us at neighborhood events, stop by to say hello, pick up a sticker, or purchase some MWAM merchandise. We and our pups would love to meet you (and you would become part of their "calm greeting" training).
🐶SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES🐶
Consider becoming an active donor or sponsor like our friends at Tidewater Animal Clinic, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Old Dominion Athletics/Football, and the Norfolk Admirals Hockey organization and our friends at The Treasure Shop Army/Navy Thrift Store in Norfolk, VA. It is through the generosity of these partners and donors that we are able to train Service and Facility Dogs and make a difference in the lives of Veterans and First Responders who have served to keep us free.
SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH
HOW TO HELP
🐕MUTTS MERCH🐕
Shop our MUTTS MERCH for all of your fall and gift giving needs!
Choose from t-shirts, trucker hats, hoodies and zip-up sweatshirts, water bottles and so much more.
A large variety of sizes and colors to choose from.
All proceeds from each sale go directly back into our program.
Use the QR Code below, or click on Mutts Merch to order.
Free Shipping!
🎉PAWSITIVE PARTNERS🎉
THE CREW with THE REAL ESTATE GROUP, CHESAPEAKE and NFCU, KEMPSVILLE BRANCH
Double the tail wags and thanks to these two amazing MWAM partners! The Crew with The Real Estate Group in Chesapeake, VA held a Jeep showcase with donations and supplies going to Mutts With A Mission. Even though it was a rainy day, there were plenty of sunny smiles from our pups who were excited to meet new people and thank them for their generosity.
We are also grateful for our friends at Navy Federal Credit Union, Kempsville Branch in Virginia Beach for donating handmade tug toys for our pups. The puppies absolutely love them.
Thank you to both of these groups for supporting our mission.
We could not do what we do without our generous community!
Pictured below: SDiTs Flynn, Tater and Avalanche
Pictured to the Right: SDiT Maple and a very happy NFCU staff member.
📣VOLUNTEERS!📣
If you, your team, business, or company is interested in giving back by participating in a
volunteer day, email Liz@muttswithamission.org
We enjoy the relationships we have built with our volunteers and look forward to seeing them each time they work with us. BONUS: Puppy sightings and tail wags are almost always guaranteed!
❤️MISSION MOMENTS❤️
Some of our Service Dogs in Training have participated in early voting and are here to remind you to vote on Tuesday, November 5th. ✅
Mutts With A Mission is Proud to be an Accredited Member of
Assistance Dogs International
Who is ADI:
Assistance Dogs International, Inc. (ADI) is a worldwide coalition of non-profit programs that train and place Assistance Dogs. Founded in 1986 from a group of seven small programs, ADI has become the leading authority in the Assistance Dog industry.
Mission:
ADI fosters a collaborative global community dedicated to the highest standards of excellence for the assistance dog industry.
Vision:
A global network of organizations collaborating to ensure high quality assistance dogs create new paths of possibilities for the individuals they support.
RADAR AND QUE
We are excited to introduce you to our newest Service Dogs in Training, Radar and Que. The siblings join us from Gainesfield Labradors, Gloucester, VA. These two cuties are settling in with their puppy raisers, understanding house manners, and loving snuggle time.
We are looking forward to watching them grow and learn!
