Greetings from the Executive Director | |
Dear fellow dog lovers,
Do you remember middle school? Did you ever have moments where you felt left out, or unsure or like you just didn't fit in? I think every middle school aged student has at least one or those moments. I know I had them. Think about how painful school would be if you had the medical conditions of autism and anxiety on top of being a middle school student.
I'd like to share a letter that arrived in my in-box last week. Aaron is a very bright young man that was so stressed by school that he missed more days than he attended. When he was at school, he often sat in a special classroom, isolated from his peers to reduce his stress. Aaron researched Austin Dog Alliance and advocated for us to provide him with a service dog. His parents were extremely supportive, but it was Aaron that drove the process to adopt Roxi.
"Dear Debi,
I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you, Michele ( Michele Cuteri, the service dog's trainer) and Austin Dog Alliance  for helping Roxi be such a big part of my life.
Before I had Roxi, I struggled with fitting in, social situations, crowds and going to class. I had a lot of anxiety and stress trying to figure out how to handle things. The anxiety and stress level would become so high I would hear voices and want to hurt myself. I would go weeks without going to class or interacting with my peers. My depression increased and I saw no happiness around me.
I got Roxi in May 2014 and since then my life has changed. She became an instant source of comfort for me. Roxi has a way of sensing I am stressed and having a difficult time coping. I was able to complete the service dog training by December and Roxi started attending school with me in January. Since Roxi has started going to school with me, I now am able to interact with peers in the cafeteria and gym, go to class and I have become less anxious. I feel like I belong because I have a constant friend with me, Roxi.
Thanks to you, Michele and Austin Dog Alliance, I feel I have my life back. I know what it is like to be a 13 year old boy who wants to go to school, have friends and fit in. I know what happiness is like. You, Michelle, Austin Dog Alliance and most importantly Roxi, brought me back to life.
Your Follow Dog Lover,
Aaron Allen"
Thank you to all of you that support our mission to change lives through the powerful connection between humans and dogs.
Sincerely,
Debi Krakar
Founder and Executive Director
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| Join us for Amplify Austin - March 5/6 |  Again this year, we're participating in Amplify Austin, the 24-hr day of online giving focused nonprofits in the greater Austin area, hosted by I Live Here, I Give Here. Last year, $5.7M was raised in 24 hours for 498 Austin area nonprofits. In 2015, the goal is even bigger!
March 5th - Thursday, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm - Join us for free appetizers a t The Dig Pub in Cedar Park to kick-off this celebration. You can even place your donation in real time.
March 6th - Friday, 5:00 - 6:30 pm - Then 24 hours later, come by
BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse in Cedar Park for a grand finale party. We'll watch the totals come in and celebrate the generosity of the Austin community!
You can also donate NOW and schedule it for March 5 - 6th.
What's so special about donating during Amplify Austin? Your gift made during Amplify Austin will be amplified by incentive matching dollars from generous sponsors. Your gift may also help Austin Dog Alliance win one of the four the grand prizes or hourly Bass Booster prizes during the 24-hour period. |
| Hoedown for Hounds - April 18th |
 We invite you to a fun evening of dinner, dancing, and drinks at our first annual Country Barn Dinner Dance Fundraiser: Hoedown For The Hounds. Generously hosted by Travaasa Experiential Spa in Austin, this event is going to be a night to remember. Most importantly, it will help fund our on-going programs for the community: Hounds For Heroes, S+CORE! Job Skills Training, and Pet Therapy Outreach.
Saturday, April 18th 2015 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm Travaasa Austin Resort 13500 FM 2769, Austin, TX 78726
Want to take it to the next level and be a sponsor for Hoedown for the Hounds? We have Marshall, Sheriff, Deputy, Ranger, and Cowboy levels where, in addition to tickets to the event, you get a variety of advertising opportunities online and at the event. Visit our website for more information about sponsorships.
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A Forever Valentine
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| | Pat & Jenny = Forever Valentines |
On February 14th, Jenny, our 6th service dog, started her first full day with veteran Pat. After months of training with Austin Dog Alliance, Jenny has learned the specific tasks required to assist Pat in daily life. She learned a few fun tricks along the way too. Jenny can fetch a canned drink and salute on command!
What does it take to make a sweet, good tempered dog into a PTSD Service Dog?
- Skilled area rescue groups (Heart of Texas Lab Rescue)
- Dedicated volunteers who live with and love the dog, 24 x 7, taking her on every family outing, every dinner, every trip to the grocery store, as well as attending training classes (Austin Dog Alliance Volunteer, Sheri Smith)
- Skilled and compassionate trainers molding the dog into the exact match for her specific veteran (Austin Dog Alliance trainers)
- Strong program leadership (Elizabeth Smith)
- Administrative staff processing paperwork and evaluations
- Generous donations from people like you ($12,000 per dog)
To help keep this program funded and growing, please consider sponsoring a Service Dog or making a donation to Hounds for Heroes.
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Count Down to Summer
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 Only 14 weeks until the start of our first summer camp. It's not too soon to register for camp; the spots fill up fast! We have camps for ages 5 to 15 running from June 8 to August 7. To learn more about each camp, schedules and fees visit our website.
Regular Summer Camps
All About Puppies (ages 5 - 6) is offered 1 week only, June 15 - 18
All About Dogs! (ages 7 - 9) choose from 5 different weeks offered
Field Trip Camp (ages 11 - 15) is offered 1 week only, July 20 - 24
"Bring Your Dog to Camp" Summer Camps
All Day Camp (ages 10 - 14) choose from 3 different weeks offered
All Day Camp - Advanced Dog Sports (ages 11 - 15) is offered 1 week only, August 3 - 7
Half Day Camp (ages 9 - 10) is offered mornings or afternoons of June 15 - June 18
Half Day Camp (ages 10 -14) is offered mornings or afternoons of 4 different weeks
Is my dog ready for camp? Dogs must be 4 months or older and friendly with other dogs and people. Shy and or aggressive dogs are NOT suitable for this environment. If your child can not control the dog on a leash, please plan to purchase a harness. If your dog wouldn't enjoy camp, your child can work with one of ours. Dogs must have proof of current vaccinations.
Is my child appropriate for camp? While Austin Dog Alliance staff are very experienced with children who have high functioning autism and other challenges, these camps are designed for typically developing students. Some of the activities tend to be over stimulating to students who have autism. To discuss your child's unique needs, please contact our camp director.
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| Happy Birthday New Hope Ranch | |
Austin Dog Alliance's permanent home New Hope Ranch has turned 2 years old. And what a busy, productive and rewarding two years it has been! Since the openiong of New Hope Ranch on March 8, 2013 we have:
- Trained and placed 6 Service Dogs with 5 more dogs currently in training.
- Added 88 pet therapy teams to service local schools, retirement homes and hospitals.
- Educated 39 students through our S+CORE! Job Skills Program.
- Welcome and trained 177 volunteers at our Volunteer Orientations.
- Provided nearly 800 individuals with dog training and dog sport classes.
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