Partners and Paws Fall 2023

“We have so many people on the wait list, it is really wonderful to know that we are starting this, and there is going to be a flow of puppies into the program, because there is such a need,” says Kris Sorensen, Saint Francis Services Coordinator and Beatrice’s Puppy Raiser. This new program would not be possible without our incredible Saint Francis family. The puppies born out of our Breeding Program will be cared for and loved by volunteer W helpers and enter our specialized training program with the guidance of volunteer Puppy Raisers. The support and generosity of our donors will make it possible for this program to grow and flourish, ultimately helping us to raise, train, and place hundreds of service dogs over the next many years to come. The future we are building is bright. We can’t wait for all the journeys ahead as our new puppies grow into life-changing dogs. Stay tuned for some very exciting news as we grow together!

“Hopefully Gibson’s daughters will produce puppies, and from each one of their litters, we’ll look at their daughters and see what kind of puppies we can make for Saint Francis to be good service dogs,” Kathy says. Placing both sweet and strong ZuZu and smart and sassy Beatrice into the roles of our Saint Francis Mama Dogs is an important step for the future of our organization. Establishing the Saint Francis Breeding Program allows us to provide a steady stream of puppies, specifically bred for service work, into our “We will have access to better puppies, and we will have more control over the timing of our puppies,” says Kathy. With our own Breeding Program, we also benefit from the specific selection of our breeding lines, as well as being there from the very beginning of these puppies’ lives. This gives us the opportunity to start right away with socialization and enrichment activities, along with early and frequent health and temperament screenings. All of this will be done with one goal in mind - placing more exceptional dogs with the extraordinary people who are waiting for a service dog of their own. “We will have access to better puppies, and we will have more control over the timing of our puppies.” program, so that we can answer the overwhelming need for these vital teammates.

ZuZu Petals

Beatrice

Gibson

- Kathy Marr

7