Canine Companions® Launches #PuppyNation Week and Puppy Cam on National Puppy Day to Address Global Service Dog Shortage
Canine Companions 50th Anniversary logo
Volunteer puppy raisers care for and socialize future service dogs so they are ready for their professional training and life with a person with a disability.
#PuppyNation week is a nationwide awareness and volunteer recruitment campaign designed to address the growing global shortage of trained service dogs.
America’s first and largest service dog provider is livestreaming 7-week-old puppies to recruit new volunteer puppy raisers nationwide
Volunteer puppy raisers are the foundation and heart of our program. They care for and socialize future service dogs until they are ready for advanced professional training.”
SANTA ROSA, CA, UNITED STATES, March 23, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- On National Puppy Day, Canine Companions®, a national nonprofit and registered 501(c)(3), launches its inaugural #PuppyNation week, a nationwide awareness and volunteer recruitment campaign designed to address the growing global shortage of trained service dogs.— Paige Mazzoni, CEO of Canine Companions
Canine Companions created the concept of the modern service dog in 1975 and provides expertly trained dogs, free of charge, to people with disabilities. To date, Canine Companions has raised, trained, and matched its professional service dogs with more than 8,600 recipients. The organization operates eight locations and serves all 50 states. Approximately 6,300 active volunteers and over 20,000 donors help support full-time staff.
What Is #PuppyNation week?
#PuppyNation is a weeklong national celebration of future service dogs, commencing on National Puppy Day and running March 23-27. The program includes a Puppy Cam livestream featuring a litter of 7-week-old puppies, plus a series of in-person and online events across the country – all designed to recruit volunteer puppy raisers and community supporters.
Visit https://canine.org/puppynation to learn about #PuppyNation live events happening across America, and to get online information about volunteering to support service dogs.
What Is Puppy Cam?
Puppy Cam is a live web cam at Canine Companions featuring newly born puppies learning to socialize. The popular Puppy Cam livestream chronicles a recent litter of Canine Companions’ proprietary Labrador/Gold Retriever mix puppies playing, snuggling, and snoozing.
Puppy Cam streams for more than 12 hours each day during #PuppyNation week, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. PT / 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET. Special guests join the puppies each day to share up-close moments and ways the public can get involved.
Schedule of Events
• What: A week-long series of #PuppyNation events across America, plus Puppy Cam livestream of seven Labrador/Golden Retriever puppies.
• When: five days, March 23-27, 2026.
• Time: Puppy Cam livestreams daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. PT (9 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET).
• Where: Find local #PuppyNation in-person events, view the Puppy Cam livestream, and discover ways to volunteer – all at https://canine.org/puppynation.
The National Service Dog Shortage
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 70 million adults in the United States live with a disability, yet fewer than one percent currently benefit from a service dog.
“Volunteer puppy raisers are the foundation and heart of our program. They care for and socialize future service dogs until they are ready for advanced professional training,” said Paige Mazzoni, CEO of Canine Companions. “The need continues to outpace available placements, and we cannot close that gap without more volunteer puppy raisers and donor support for our programs.”
How Can People Support Canine Companions?
Anyone can support the cause by sponsoring a puppy featured on the #PuppyNation Puppy Cam livestream. Sponsors receive a personalized kit including a plush puppy, stickers and more, featuring the puppy they sponsored, plus regular email updates on the puppy's progress over the next two years. People can also support Canine Companions by:
• Attending a #PuppyNation event in their area (https://canine.org/puppynation/)
• Sharing @CanineOrg on social media using #PuppyNation (https://canine.org/get-involved/share-your-support-of-canine-companions/)
• Becoming a volunteer puppy raiser (https://canine.org/get-involved/ways-to-volunteer/become-a-volunteer-puppy-raiser/)
• Donating to support service dog training (https://canine.org/donate/)
About Canine Companions
Canine Companions is a 501(c)(3) non-profit celebrating 50 years of empowering people with disabilities to live with greater independence. Expertly trained service dogs are provided at no cost to clients, funded entirely by donations and volunteers. Donate and learn more at canine.org.
Organization: Canine Companions® for Independence, Inc.
Year Founded: 1975
Headquarters: Santa Rosa, California
Mission: Provide expertly trained service dogs, at no cost to disabled recipients
Recipients: 8,600+ to-date
Cost to recipients: $0 (completely free of charge to recipients, fully funded through donations)
Scope: Serving adults, children, veterans, and health professionals nationwide
Service Area: All 50 U.S. States
Tami Kelly
Canine Companions
+1 925-640-9997
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