Your Time Can Save the Lives of Veterans and K9s
Volunteering is vital to the success of the K9s For Warriors program. The support of our volunteers enables us to further our mission to end veteran suicide by providing Service Dogs to military personnel suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and military sexual trauma.
Volunteer Ambassadors
Volunteer ambassadors educating others about our program is vital to our mission. K9s For Warriors will train you to be able to effectively communicate the importance of our noble cause.
Cooking For Warriors
If you are passionate about cooking and our mission, you are ideal for preparing home-cooked meals for our Warriors. You can help support our Warriors by providing them with a true home away from home experience.
Dog Volunteer Programs
If you love dogs and are looking for a way to give back, look no further. We are searching for volunteers who can help us give prospective Service Dogs-in-training a jump start into the program. Whether you can commit to a weekend, a few months, or a year, we’d love your help. Also, you don’t have to worry about buying food, a leash, a crate, training classes or medical expenses, because K9s For Warriors takes care of all that. The only responsibility you will have is to provide love and a nurturing environment for a veteran’s future battle buddy.
Taking part in the K9s For Warriors dog volunteer program gives you an opportunity to get involved with our mission.
Not sure which opportunity is right for you? Below are details & requirements for each option for you to carefully consider:
Puppy Raiser
This provides a longer-term opportunity to raise a puppy, typically ranging in age from eight weeks to 16 months old. Volunteers must be able to supervise the puppy throughout the day, teaching them manners and basic skills. They’ll also be tasked with providing the puppy with age-appropriate socialization opportunities outside of the home.
Requirements to be a Puppy Raiser volunteer include:
- Be at least 18 years old *Minors are accepted with a parent as a co-applicant.
- Live within 50 miles of K9s For Warriors National Headquarters in Ponte Vedra, Fla.
- Have regular access to a car
- Attend human-only classes with K9s trainers to ensure that the dog you’re raising is trained in a manner consistent with K9s For Warriors’ program
- Attend monthly obedience classes with K9s trainers
- Provide a safe environment for respective dogs being raised
- Provide appropriate socialization opportunities (i.e. public places)
- Agree to return the dog upon request
Puppy Sitter
Only have a few days to help out? Our sitters are utilized through an on-call basis for a variety of reasons when we need to place a Service Dog-in-training for a few days.
Requirements to be a sitter volunteer include:
- Be at least 18 years old *Minors are accepted with a parent as a co-applicant.
- Live within 50 miles of K9s For Warriors National Headquarters in Ponte Vedra, Fla.
- Have regular access to a car
- Attend human-only classes with K9s trainers to ensure that the dog you’re raising is trained in a manner consistent with K9s For Warriors’ program
- Provide a safe environment for respective dogs being raised
- Agree to return the dog upon request
Dog Foster
We are in need of short-term dog fosters typically lasting from one to six months. These short-term fosters can include: shelter rescue dogs and dogs recovering from medical procedures. Short-term fostering helps us to learn more about the dog in preparation for their advancement into training to become a Service Dog.
Requirements to be a shelter dog foster volunteer include:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Live within 50 miles of K9s For Warriors campuses (Ponte Vedra, Fla., San Antonio, Tx., Phoenix, Az.)
- Have regular access to a car
- Attend human-only classes to ensure that the dog you’re fostering is trained in a manner consistent with K9s For Warriors’ program
- Attend monthly obedience classes
- Provide a safe environment for respective dogs being fostered
- Agree to return the dog upon request
