Puppy raisers keep service-dog costs down

The love of dogs and the opportunity to be part of a miracle has motivated Melanie Dutcher and Amy Kernan to volunteer their time and give thousands of dollars a year to serve as puppy raisers for the disabled.

"We are raising one miracle at a time," Kernan said. "Once you have had the privilege to witness what a difference these dogs can make in somebody's life you want to continue to serve."

Kernan noted the privilege she has had in getting to know an older woman who suffers from cerebral palsy whose life has changed completely because of her service dog.

The woman was homebound until she received her dog from Canine Companions for Independence, and now she writes a newsletter for Canine Companions and for a cerebral palsy association in Indiana. She also sits on their board of directors and goes on bus trips to the Ozarks, Kernan said.

"She is living a life and she is doing that in part because of what the dog does for her and in part because of the security that she feels," Kernan said. "You feel like you get to be part of a miracle happening. Along the way it is fun, it is stimulating, and it is a learning experience."

Founded in Santa Rosa, Calif., in 1975, Canine Companion places trained golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers or a combination of both breeds with adults and children with physical or developmental disabilities across the country to serve as help mates and companions.

Currently, there are 875 puppy raisers across the country, including 11 in the Salt Lake area, said Karyl Carmignani, Canine Companion's southwest region spokeswoman.

The puppy raisers pay the cost of raising and training the puppies, allowing Canine Companions to give the dogs to the disabled for a $100 registration fee, Dutcher said. Other service dog organizations can charge up to $25,000, according to a USA Today article.

Although, they only met two months ago when Kernan moved to Sandy from Martinsville, Ind., Canine Companions links both women in many ways. Both Kernan and Dutcher stumbled upon the puppy-raising program with Canine Companions because of their interest in training dogs and their love for them.

While working in Texas in the 1980s, Dutcher read about Canine Companions in a Dear Abby column. At the time she was busy with her career and didn't have the time then to be a puppy raiser, but she began to donate money to the program and thought someday she would become a volunteer puppy raiser.