“On an ordinary morning in 1998, in the Vancouver Sun, there appeared a heart-catching article about a golden retriever named Brandy.Β This bundle of charm was at work in the office of his puppy raiser, learning the rules of office etiquette, on his way to becoming a service dog.Β My husband and I were hooked.Β The only contribution we could make was in the form of financial donation and we began to do this regularly.
My first sponsorship of a puppy took place in 2002, in memory of my husband, Tom Donaldson.Β Nine years later I have sponsored the first years of 12 puppies.Β The first, Gypsy, was a sweet and gentle golden retriever who is still happily working as a hearing dog.
Why do I do this andΒ why am I so very committed to PADS?
I am physically disabled and can easily appreciate the valuable assistance PADSβ dogs give.Β I know what liberating experiences a helpful companion can offer, including the ability to live independently.
I admire the hard work, good cheer and creativity of PADSβ staff, particularly given the shoe-string budget with which they operate.Β This is a small but hugely important and effective endeavour.
PADSβ volunteer hours make up over 95% of it’s manpower.Β The hours contributed by the dogs are beyond calculation.
PADS has no highly-paid executives.Β Its fund-raising profile is modest and the budget small.Β Donations are dedicated to the purpose of its existence: changing lives one dog at a time.
Please join me in helping to raise more Assistance Dogs by donating to PADS.”
– Jean Donaldson