Can Do Canines

CAN DO CANINES IS DEDICATED TO ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES BY CREATING MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH SPECIALLY TRAINED DOGS. THE ORGANIZATION ENVISIONS A FUTURE IN WHICH EVERY PERSON WHO NEEDS AND WANTS AN ASSISTANCE DOG CAN HAVE ONE.

ASSISTANCE DOG TRAINING SERVICES: DURING 2021 WE RECEIVED 365 APPLICATION REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE DOGS FROM PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. THE INDIVIDUALS ARE ATTEMPTING TO LIVE THEIR LIVES INDEPENDENTLY. DUE TO THE LACK OF FUNDING FOR TRAINING ASSISTANCE DOGS, SOME OF THESE INDIVIDUALS APPLY TO MORE THAN ONE PROGRAM OR SOME STRUGGLE TO PAY SIGNIFICANT FEES TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN ORDER TO GET AN ASSISTANCE DOG SOONER.EACH APPLICATION WE RECEIVE FOR AN ASSISTANCE DOG IS REVIEWED FOR COMPLETE CONTENT AND THEN ALL POTENTIAL CLIENTS ARE INTERVIEWED. DURING THIS INTERVIEW, THE POTENTIAL CLIENT LEARNS WHAT IS INVOLVED WITH OBTAINING AND WORKING WITH THEIR NEW PARTNER AND HOW MUCH THEIR LIFE MAY CHANGE, BOTH IN THE WORKPLACE AND THEIR HOME. THIS INTERVIEW PROVIDES CAN DO CANINES WITH INFORMATION ON THEIR ENVIRONMENT, STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, RANGE OF MOTION, LIFESTYLE AND EXPECTATIONS OF THE POTENTIAL CLIENT. SEE THE ATTACHMENT TO FORM 990 FOR MORE DETAILS.

PUPPY RAISING AND DOG ACQUISITION: THE PUPPY PROGRAM INCLUDED 259 DOGS THIS YEAR. THESE PUPS WERE EITHER DONATED TO OR BRED BY CAN DO CANINES AND RAISED BY INMATES OR VOLUNTEERS. 61 DOGS CAME INTO THE KENNELS FOR FINAL TRAINING. WE HAD 389 VOLUNTEER FOSTER HOMES AND PUPPY RAISER HOMES THIS YEAR, WITH 117 BEING NEW IN 2021. THESE VOLUNTEERS ARE A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR SERVICES. PUPPIES ARE PLACED WITH VOLUNTEER FAMILIES AT EIGHT WEEKS OF AGE FOR EARLY SOCIALIZATION. THIS PROCESS IS CRUCIAL FOR THE PUPPY TO REACH ITS FULL POTENTIAL AS AN ADULT. PUPPY RAISERS WORK WITH OUR PUPPY PROGRAM STAFF AND TRAINERS. THEY ATTEND TRAINING CLASSES AND PUBLIC ACCESS OUTINGS DURING THE TIME THEY ARE RAISING THEIR PUPPY. THIS PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN OUR FUTURE SUCCESS. WE RECEIVED 163 REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION REGARDING VOLUNTEERING TO RAISE A FOSTER PUPPY DURING 2021.SEE THE ATTACHMENT TO FORM 990 FOR MORE DETAILS.

PUBLIC EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH: PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFORTS IN 2021 RESULTED IN 59 MEDIA SPOTS LOCALLY AND NATIONWIDE INCLUDING PRINT/ONLINE, TELEVISION AND RADIO SOURCES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO ALL TWIN CITIES NETWORK TV STATIONS, CCX MEDIA, ROCHESTER POST BULLETIN, WCCO RADIO, SUN POST, 3 DULUTH NETWORK TV STATIONS, THE STEWARTVILL STAR, AND OUR WISCONSIN MAGAZINE. IN 2021, CAN DO CANINES PRINTED A TOTAL OF 28,948 NEWSLETTERS, TAILS FOR YOU, IN FOUR SEPARATE EDITIONS AVERAGING 7,237 NEWSLETTERS PER PRINTING. THE AVERAGE COST (INCLUDING POSTAGE AND MAILING COSTS) OF EACH NEWSLETTER WAS 63 CENTS. THE NEWSLETTERS WERE DISTRIBUTED, BOTH VIA MAIL AND PUBLIC APPEARANCES, TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF ASSISTANCE DOG TEAMS. SEE THE ATTACHMENT TO FORM 990 FOR MORE DETAILS.