Posted on: Thursday, 14 May 2009, 10:00 CDT Learn to Be a Puppy Raiser at the Verizon Festival of Speed Presented by
SPEEDCOM Partners Eukanuba Pet Food, Morris Animal Foundation and Canine Companions SANTA ROSA, Calif., May 14 /PRNewswire/ — Puppies will be taking over the racetrack at the Verizon Festival of Speed presented by SPEEDCOM on May 15-17. Canine Companions for Independence, the national nonprofit that trains assistance dogs for people with disabilities, will be attending the event for the first time in partnership with Eukanuba and the Morris Animal Foundation. Racecar fans are invited to the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. to learn what it takes to be a volunteer puppy raiser and meet assistance dogs for children and adults with disabilities.
Founded in 1975, Canine Companions for Independence has been uniting people with disabilities with assistance dogs in a powerful program that leads to their greater independence and self-esteem. Highly trained Labradors and Golden Retrievers learn more than 40 commands to help their human partners – for example pick up dropped items they cannot reach, switch on a light switch or open a door etc.