ADS

Volunteer

Content Image
Volunteering Opportunities

There are many ways to volunteer at
Autism Dog Services.

Opportunities outside of in-home dog care include:

Fundraising support
Administrative support

Puppy transportation 
Digital media / Video creation
Photography

Special events
Board of Directors

Online newsletter creation
Online research

Let us know how you’d like to help and come join a great team!

To become a volunteer click here and apply:

FOSTER A PUPPY

Give the gift of fostering a future service dog and help a child with autism in need today!

Who can apply:  Volunteers must reside in Southwestern Ontario (Guelph, Kitchener/Waterloo, Cambridge, Hamilton, Niagara, Brantford, Western GTA and London and areas in this circle) and be able to travel to attend bi-weekly puppy classes.  You must also have the ability to exercise the dog in a safe fenced in space.

Why choose ADS:   

  • Volunteers are given extensive support during the puppy raising process.  As well as bi-weekly puppy classes, volunteers will also be matched with a trainer who will provide 1-1 support in the home and on public outings.
  • Puppy classes are held on two different nights of the week in two different locations. 
  • ADS has an extensive puppy sitter program which allows you to have the puppy stay with an approved puppy sitter for an evening, weekend or period of weeks if you need a break, are travelling or have personal or work circumstances that require your full attention for a period of time.
  • We have opportunities for volunteers to work with older pups (6-12 months) as opposed to beginning with an 8 week old puppy for those who would prefer to work with a slightly older puppy.


Requirements: 
Foster families are needed to socialize and provide basic training to puppies for up to 12-18 months prior to formal training with ADS trainers. The key purpose of the foster puppy program is to socialize and train puppies to prepare them for their lives as service dogs. Volunteer foster puppy raisers are responsible for taking ADS puppies out in public in their service dog jacket often to expose the puppies to unfamiliar environments such as shopping malls, movie theatres, parks, playgrounds, buses, trains, grocery stores and also around people of different ages, and other animals, etc.
It is critical that foster families expose the puppies to the sights, sounds and smells they will encounter as service dogs. Foster families are also responsible for maintaining puppy health care by scheduling and transporting the puppy to routine veterinary appointments.  ADS provides routine veterinary care to all puppies in training at no cost to the foster families as well as food.

Further questions regarding this opportunity can be directed to janine@autismdogservices.ca

Working Hours

Become a puppy sitter

Volunteer Puppy Sitters provide short term care for our puppies in training.  Sitters are responsible for providing a safe home environment and caring for a puppy’s day to day needs and well-being.   

Approved applicants will attend an orientation session prior to taking in a puppy.  No minimum commitment is required for sitting – you can accept or decline offers to puppy sit based around your schedule and preferences.  Sitting stretches could range from overnight, weekends or a period of weeks.

Puppy sitting is also a good way to begin in our volunteer program if you are interested in raising a puppy but aren’t quite ready for the long term commitment involved. 

All food and equipment necessary will be provided with each puppy as you receive them.
If you have any questions about this program please contact janine@autismdogservices.ca

We are currently looking for puppy raisers and sitters
Apply today!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Puppy Raisers and Sitters Needed

Puppy Raisers and Sitters Needed EVENT DATE: Currently EVENT LOCATION: Ontario We are always looking for puppy raiser and sitters across...

30 APR
Survivor Cash-A-Rama

Join a new and exciting fundraising event that supports Autism Dog Services Inc., a registered Canadian charity, operating since 2007.