Dear Friend,

Happy July! This month marks the start of our fiscal year, and we're excited to share that last fiscal year was a record-breaking one! We had more placements than ever, and are up to nearly 150 active client/dog teams nationwide. Your monthly gift keeps all the training, acquisition of dogs, and client outreach going without interruption, which means you support more people with life-changing Assistance Dogs – at zero cost to them! We couldn't be more grateful for your monthly support.

We have a campaign underway to invite more people to join The Pack this month, and you can be part of the excitement! We know not everyone has the capacity to give more, but if you increase (upgrade) your monthly gift by 7/31, a pair of generous donors will chip in a one-time gift of $100 - limited to the first 40 new or upgraded Pack members. If you'd like to change your gift, log in to your payment center or contact Frank Marksman at (541) 826-9220.

Thank you for all you do!

Sincerely,

Bryan Williams
CEO, Dogs for Better Lives

INTRODUCING EMERALD

This month we're introducing Emerald and her Puppy Raisers Megan and Claire. Check back each month for updates on Emerald's training journey as she navigates puppyhood and her big dreams of becoming an Assistance Dog.

"We picked up Emerald on June 1st from DBL. It was the same day we said goodbye to Sandy, our first puppy that Claire raised for the program. Claire is 16 and had been asking over the last couple of years if she could be a puppy raiser. We have two golden retrievers and she has always put a lot of effort into their training and care. When COVID hit and her high school transitioned to online, we decided it would be a good time to check into the program. We were familiar with DBL and reached out to them about becoming Puppy Raisers. The idea of being able to help someone makes our family happy," said Megan.  

Emerald is very smart and is working on her sit, down, stay and leash walking. She loves to rough house with her golden retriever big brothers, Finley and Tucker. She recently had her first scolding from one of the family's cats because she was barking and playing a little rough. The cat gave her a swat and she has quickly learned how to respect cats!

Other DBL News

Puppies!

DBL welcomed a brand new litter of puppies on June 3rd! Pepper had 9 puppies, 5 girls and 4 boys. The puppies are growing quickly and are doing great. This is Pepper's last litter, and boy did she have some pretty adorable pups! We are so proud of Pepper and her breeder caretaker, Cat. They have done a phenomenal job with the help of DBL staffer Sarina, and we are so excited to see what these little ones will accomplish! 

Applications for ALL Programs Are Open

We have many Assistance Dogs who will be ready to be placed soon, and we're happy to share that we're accepting applications for all of our programs. If you or someone you know would benefit from a life-changing Hearing Assistance Dog, Autism Assistance Dog or Facility Dog, apply today! Dogs are placed at zero cost with clients thanks to the support of generous donors (like YOU!) Learn more about our dogs.

Nelson Update

Nelson is a career change dog who was placed with the Albany Police Department through our partners at Working Dogs Oregon. Nelson recently was a huge help to the community when he went to a debrief of a murder. He spent nearly 2 hours with 30 detectives and officers from several different agencies, and was a calming presence for everyone who had to recount the challenging and traumatic event.

DBL One of 100 Best Green Workplaces in Oregon

We're honored to share that Dogs for Better Lives has been named one of the 2022 100 Best Green Workplaces in Oregon by Oregon Business for the 2nd year in a row! This recognition speaks to DBL's culture of being a value-driven organization, and value #6 in particular. "Supporting the organization’s efforts to being environmentally friendly and being smart with our resources, such as the continued focus on going digital." Learn more about DBL's sustainability practices.