Puppy Raisers Wanted: Meeting Your Organization's Need for Volunteer Raisers

It's a safe bet most service dog organizations that utilize volunteer puppy raisers agree raiser recruitment is a constant challenge. It's a big "ask" of someone to welcome an adorable puppy into their life, knowing in about a year, they'll say, “Goodbye,” as the dog enters formal training. Yet without them, most service dog programs would grind to a halt.

Successful raiser recruitment is about not being afraid to try new things as you put the organization - and its need - in front of the public. Following are some tactics to consider when planning your recruitment strategy:

Raiser Recruitment is Everyone's Business

It takes a village to raise a puppy, and it takes an entire organization's support to recruit puppy raisers.  Help everyone within the organization develop the habit of speaking about the need for puppy raisers. Everyone is potentially one casual conversation away from piquing someone's interest in becoming a puppy raiser! No matter the department, the phrase, “We’re always looking for puppy raisers…” can be worked into conversation. Encourage everyone within your organization to carry some type of promotional material related to puppy raising.

Media Relations

Puppies are a great visual for broadcast news and puppy-raising offers many newsworthy angles.  If the number of puppies in your nursery greatly outweighs your available raisers, that’s newsworthy: "Local Service Dog Program Facing Shortage of Puppy Raisers."  If a raiser has raised several dogs for the program, that’s a great human-interest story: "Local Family Raises 25th Service Dog Puppy for Organization." When you graduate a class, pitch graduation as a story and play up the need for puppy raisers to help make future graduations possible.  A quick Google search for “how to write a pitch letter” or “how to write a press release” will surface resources to help get you started.

It's Pay-to-Play on Social Media

When using social media to raise awareness of your organization’s activities and need for puppy raisers, be prepared to pay to "boost" posts.  Media experts estimate organic reach has dropped to about 1 percent without the help of paid distribution. Even a modest budget will increase your reach.  

Raiser Word of Mouth

Active raisers are your most valuable resources. They're walking billboards for your organization when out with program dogs. Arm them with easy-to-carry recruitment materials. At Guide Dogs of America, we use business cards with a blank space for the raiser to write their dog's name on the card, so the recipient remembers the team. It also helps us track the referral source so we can personally thank the raiser for their ambassadorship. Program dog trading cards are also a great recruitment tool.

Go Public

Community and trade events are a great way to raise awareness of your organization overall – no matter the area of interest. Craft fairs, food festivals, home-schooling conventions, college service-learning fairs, youth scouting events, home and garden shows, car shows, boating and fishing shows – any opportunity to put your program in front of the public has the potential to recruit raisers, donors, clients and volunteers.

# # #

Stephanie Colman is the puppy program coordinator at Guide Dogs of America | Tender Loving Canines in Sylmar, Calif. With a background in non-profit communications, media relations, and dog training, she leverages her skills to raise awareness of the organization and its need for puppy raisers. She attends multiple community events each year, and never hesitates to produce a business card and ask, “Have you ever considered raising a service dog puppy?” as people notice the dog at her side or the logo on her shirt!

Interested in writing a blog post for ADI? Please see our submission form.