Donating puppies to PADS
Interested in donating a puppy to PADS?
Donating a puppy for training is a wonderful way to change the life of someone with a physical disability, who is Deaf or hard of hearing, or a whole group of people receiving care or living in an assisted living facility.
Because we are a registered federal charity, PADS is able to provide a charitable tax receipt for the value of a donated puppy. We are also happy to feature the kennel contact information of breeders who have provided puppies for training on the "Puppies-in-Training" portion of our website.
Hearing dog puppies - Most hearing dog puppies are donated by generous breeders or rescue groups. For hearing dog candidates, we are looking for puppies whose adult weight will be between 15 and 30 lbs with a high activity level and a keen interest in sounds. These dogs are typically breeds that enjoy being active and working. Sedentary breeds who would rather sleep on the couch than get up to see who is at the door are not suited to this type of work. Hearing dog breeds include Shetland Sheepdogs, Schipperkes, Miniature Poodles, Smooth Fox Terriers, Papillons, and many others.
Service dog puppies - Most service dog puppies are obtained from PADS' own breeding program or from exchanges with other schools, however we do occasionally accept puppies from private breeders. The only breeds PADS uses as Service Dogs are Labrador Retrievers or Golden Retrievers or Lab X Goldens (we do not breed Lab X Goldens ourselves). Because of the prevalence of hip dysplasia in these breeds, we do require that any donated puppy comes from parents who have at least hip clearances through PennHip, OFA or OVC. Donated service dog puppies must be under 12 weeks of age.
In the interest of getting the best puppy for the job, we do ask breeders who are interested in donating a puppy for pick of the litter (or second pick if the breeder is keeping a puppy for themselves). We also want to collect as much information as possible about the litter, the dam and the sire to determine if the puppy is a suitable candidate for the program.
What happens if a puppy I donate does not qualify?
Breeders are given the option at the time of donation to indicate whether they would like the first right to adopt the dog back should it not qualify for placement as a client. If the breeder does not wish the dog returned, should it be released it will be placed with an individual or family on our VIP or released dog list, or in an alternate working career, such as detection.
If you are interested in donating a puppy(ies) to PADS please complete the following form: