Volunteer FAQ
Volunteer at ECAD: Frequently Asked Questions
Volunteering with ECAD is a hands-on way to help train life-transforming Service Dogs. From short-term fostering to on-campus canine care and behind-the-scenes support, there’s a role that fits your time and talents. Because great teams take time to build, most programs ask for a 6-month commitment—so we can invest in you, and you can confidently invest in our dogs.
What types of volunteer opportunities does ECAD offer?
ECAD offers a variety of ways to get involved, from hands-on dog care to behind-the-scenes support. Options include puppy raising through our Nursery Team, short-term fostering in Home for the Weekend or Puppy Sitters, on-campus care with the Canine Care Crew or Junior Canine Crew, transporting dogs as a Doggie Dasher, and helping with events, administration, marketing, and campus upkeep.
Is previous dog training experience required to volunteer?
Nope! We provide all the guidance and resources you’ll need. A willingness to learn, reliability, and a heart for our mission matter most.
Why does ECAD ask for a 6-month commitment?
Educating life-transforming Service Dogs is a team effort, and volunteers are a big part of that journey. It takes time, care, and resources to get each new volunteer up and running—from orientation to hands-on training and staff support. We invest in you so you can invest in our dogs with confidence.
What is the time commitment for each role?
All roles generally require a minimum of six months, but weekly time varies by program. Flexible options like Home for the Weekend or Puppy Sitters can be done a few days a month. Nursery Team Homes typically require 6–9 months. On-campus roles such as Canine Care Crew or Junior Canine Crew usually have set shifts with a six-month minimum.
Can I choose a program that fits my schedule and interests?
Yes. When you apply, indicate your primiary interest as well as rank you interest in additional opportunities. We’ll match you based on availability, location, and skills to ensure a great fit for you and ECAD.
Can I volunteer if I’m under 18?
Yes—our Junior Canine Crew (ages 12–17) is hosted at our Connecticut campus, where youth volunteers support dog care and campus upkeep alongside our kennel team.
What support and resources does ECAD provide to volunteers?
Depending on the program, we provide training, mentoring, and supplies such as food, crates, leashes, and written care instructions—plus ongoing support from staff and fellow volunteers.
If I host a Service Dog in Training, what does ECAD provide?
For Home for the Weekend, Puppy Sitters, and Nursery Team Homes, ECAD provides the dog’s food, crate, leash, and training guidance. You provide a safe home, consistent care, and a willingness to follow the training plan.
Do volunteers receive training before working with ECAD dogs?
Yes. All volunteers receive an orientation and program-specific training. For roles with direct dog care, we’ll cover the dog’s needs, commands, and handling guidelines so you feel confident.
Can I volunteer if I live outside of Connecticut?
Unfortunately, yes, at this time, because most hands-on programs require proximity to our campuses in Connecticut.
How do I apply to become an ECAD volunteer?
Apply online via our Volunteer Application Form. After we receive your application, our amazing staff will contact you about next steps, training dates, and role availability.
Volunteer with ECAD | Raise Puppies, Host Weekends & Help Service Dogs Thrive
🐾Nurture Future Service Dogs. Empower People Living with Disabilities. Transform Lives.
At ECAD, volunteering isn’t just about giving your time — it’s about transforming lives, one tail wag at a time. Whether you're brushing a future Service Dog, hosting a pup for the weekend, or lending a hand behind the scenes, your support helps train purpose-bred dogs into life-transforming companions for people with disabilities.
If you believe in the power of partnership, purpose, and a well-placed belly rub, there’s a place for you at ECAD!
🌟 Why Your Time Matters
- Prepare dogs to meet their clients’ unique needs
- Support compassionate, individualized training
- Increase the number of Service Dogs ECAD can place annually
- Build stronger, more inclusive communities
"From kennel care to cuddles, you are part of the bond that empowers independence."
🐶 Volunteer Opportunities
🏡 Home for the Weekend Program
Ages 18+ | Weekends & Holidays | 6-Month Commitment, 2x Monthly
Want dog time without the full-time commitment? Be a weekend hero.
Through this short-term fostering program, you’ll welcome a Service Dog in training into your home for the weekend—giving them the chance to rest, recharge, and learn how to thrive in the real world. We supply the food, crate, leash, and training guidance. You supply the love, practice, and life experience. Two days can make a life-long difference.
“Just a weekend. Just your home. Just what they need.”
Apply Now | Learn More | Home for the Weekend FAQ
🐣 Nursery Team
Ages 18+ | 6–9 Month Commitment
Want to be someone’s first favorite human? As a Nursery Team home, you’ll care for a puppy in its earliest stage—helping teach crate training, house manners, and social basics before they head to formal training. It's a few months of puppy snuggles, basic skills, and early confidence-building that will shape the Service Dog they’re meant to be.
“Be the start of something extraordinary.”
Apply Now | Learn More | Nursery Team FAQ
🧽 Junior Canine Crew (CT Campus)
Ages 12–17 | Afterschool, Weekends, Holidays | 6-Month Commitment
Are you between 12 and 17 and passionate about helping dogs and people? Join our Youth Volunteer team, Junior Canine Crew, and spend weekends, school breaks, holiday or afterschool caring for Service Dogs in training. You'll help clean kennels, groom, exercise, and support the team while learning valuable skills in a hands-on environment. While direct dog interaction isn’t guaranteed, your hard work supports every step of a service dog’s journey.
“Your mission? Keep Service Dogs in training happy, healthy, and on track to change someone’s life. It’s real work with real heart—and maybe a little fur in the process.”
Apply Now | Junior Canine Crew FAQ
🛁 Canine Care Crew (CT Campus)
Ages 18+ | Mondays & Wednesdays 10AM–2PM | 6-Month Commitment
Love a well-groomed pup and a productive walk? Join our on-campus weekday Canine Care Crew and help brush, bathe, walk, and cuddle our service dogs in training. You’ll be a calm presence, a steady hand, and part of the daily love they need to build trust and skills.
“Bonus: Instant stress relief, guaranteed.”
🚗 Doggie Dashers
Ages 18+ | Weekdays | 6-Month Commitment
For the volunteers who make sure our pups never miss an appointment—because great health starts with great rides. As a Doggie Dasher, you’ll help transport ECAD dogs to and from vet appointments ensuring they get where they need to be, safely and on time. If your schedule is flexible and your car’s dog-friendly, you’re already halfway there.
“Some superheroes drive.”
🛋️ Puppy Sitters
Ages 18+ | Flexible Avaliability | 6-Month Commitment
Can’t commit to Nursery Team? But really want to take a puppy home for a few days a week? Then becoming a Puppy Sitter is the best of both worlds. Open your home for a weekend or a few days to one of our youngest Service Dogs in Training (under 9 months). Your time helps reinforce house manners, crate time, basic cues, and confident exploring beyond campus. We provide the essentials—food, crate, leash, and training guidance. You provide the structure, care, and a safe place to learn. A short stay; a big step forward.
“A few days with you means a lifetime of difference for them.”
📝 Ready to Volunteer?
We welcome compassionate, committed individuals and families ready to make a difference — whether it’s once a month or every week.
Volunteer with ECAD: Support Service Dogs & Transform Lives
Your Participation Matters
Whether you’re looking to host a puppy for the weekend, volunteer as a family, or fundraise with your community, there’s a place for you in ECAD’s pack. Help train future Service Dogs and empower people with disabilities to live more independent lives — one wag, one walk, one weekend at a time.
Ways to Get Involved
Give the Gift of Time: Volunteer
At ECAD, volunteers are at the heart of everything we do. Each wagging tail and life-transforming client partnership begins with the time, care, and love our volunteers give — whether they’re cuddling newborn puppies, teaching manners to adolescent dogs, or helping us spread the word about our mission.
Volunteers make it possible for ECAD to:
- Provide individualized training to every Service Dog-in-Training
- Nurture puppies in safe and loving homes
- Offer real-world experiences to dogs through weekend and holiday dog hosting\
- Run events, fundraise, and connect with our community
- Reduce operational costs while expanding our reach and impact
Every ECAD Service Dog that graduates to serve someone with a disability has been shaped by dozens of helping hands — and volunteers are often the very first hands they know.
Learn More about Volunteer Opportunities
Blog Post: Volunteers: The Heart and Soul of a Nonprofit | Blog Post: One Volunteer's Story | Blog Post: Judy's Legacy of Love
Fundraise, Donate or Leave a Legacy of Love
Every act of generosity — big or small — helps ECAD turn purpose-bred puppies into life-changing Service Dogs for people with disabilities. When you fundraise, donate, or include ECAD in your legacy plans, you’re not just giving money — you’re Nurturing the Service Dog that Empower people with disabilities to Transform their lives on their terms. From birthday fundraisers to monthly gifts, Amazon Wish List items to estate planning, your support becomes part of every paw print, every command learned, and every life transformed. However you choose to give, your love leaves a lasting legacy.
Paws, Applause & Purpose: Attend an ECAD Event
Whether you're cheering on our Service Dogs in Training, bidding at a silent auction, or just soaking up the tail wags and good vibes, ECAD events are where mission meets celebration. Every event is a chance to connect, give back, and witness the power of the human-canine bond in action. From virtual graduations to formal galas, your attendance supports training, placements, and the people who depend on our dogs. So grab your leash (and maybe some tissues) — these unforgettable moments change lives, one paw at a time.
Fake Service Dogs: The Growing Problem and Its Impact
Service Dogs are indispensable to individuals with disabilities, keeping them safe, enabling their independence, and improving their quality of life. Unfortunately, the proliferation of fake service dogs has become a growing concern recently. Fake service dogs are more than a minor nuisance; they pose real challenges for businesses, communities, animals, and individuals who genuinely rely on them.
The surge of fake service dogs threatens to undermine the integrity and efficacy of these amazing animals. Understanding the issue and its implications can enable us to work together to create an environment that respects the rights of individuals with disabilities while safeguarding public interests. Continue reading to learn about the rise of fake service dogs, its ramifications, and the need for stricter regulation and public awareness.
Understanding the Role of Genuine Service Dogs
Legitimate Service Dogs are specially trained to perform specific tasks for individuals with disabilities. Whether it’s assisting people with mobility issues, veterans battling post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or a child with autism, these dogs play an invaluable role.
The Rise of Fake Service Dogs
Unfortunately, as the value and recognition of Service Dogs have increased, so has the temptation for people to pass off their regular dogs as Service Dogs. There’s a growing market for counterfeit Service Dog certifications, vests, and IDs, making it easier for pet owners to claim their dog as a Service Dog. However, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Service Dogs are not required to be certified or wear identifying vests or tags.
There are several possible reasons behind the trend. For instance, some people confuse emotional support animals (ESAs) with Service Dogs. While ESAs provide comfort, they do not have the same legal rights as Service Dogs. In addition, some unscrupulous people want to take their dogs to places where pets are generally not allowed, like restaurants, planes, or shopping centers, and want to avoid any applicable pet fees.
The Impact on People with Disabilities
People with actual needs suffer the most from this growing issue. Fake Service Dogs, often not adequately trained, can create a hostile environment for real Service Dogs, leading to increased scrutiny, discrimination, safety risks, and negative perceptions of Service Dogs.
Public Safety Concerns
Fake Service Dogs pose significant public safety risks. Untrained dogs may act aggressively, causing harm to people, including those with actual trained Service Dogs.
The Welfare of the Animals
The welfare of dogs misrepresented as Service Dogs is another concern. These pets are often subjected to environments and situations they are not trained to handle, leading to unnecessary stress and anxiety for the animals. Fake Service Dogs have attacked legitimate Service Dogs.
Legal Implications
There are legal ramifications associated with misrepresenting pets as Service Dogs. Some states have started implementing stringent laws and penalties to counteract this issue. The American Veterinary Medical Association has compiled a document outlining the rights of Service Dogs and the fraud issues.
How You Can Help
Being informed and spreading awareness about the issue of fraudulent Service Dogs is a step in the right direction. Supporting organizations that work tirelessly to uphold the integrity of Service Dogs and the rights of people with disabilities is also essential.
How To Obtain a Service Dog
Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities (ECAD) breeds Service Dogs and trains them as puppies. By the time they’re nine months, they know several commands. They then undergo extensive training for 18 to 24 months before being matched with someone.
Each person's final training is individualized once a potential match has been identified. When a client arrives for team training, the dog has had up to 1,500 hours of training and socialization. If you or a loved one could benefit from a Service Dog, contact Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities to learn more or apply for a Service Dog.
Help Us Transform the Lives of People Living With Disabilities
Service Dogs can significantly impact the lives of people with disabilities. From physical assistance to emotional support, they can provide the help needed to live independently and confidently. Having a Service Dog by your side means you can enjoy a better quality of life.
Everyone can take part in helping people with disabilities with Service Dogs. Support us with a donation, bequest, planned giving, contributions to our wish list, or create a fundraiser. Your support can change someone’s life.
Help Us Reach Our Goal 
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ECAD, Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and we depend on generosity of people like you to continue changing lives.
ECAD Volunteer Opportunities
There are many ways you can be a part of the miraculous process of turning tiny puppies into confident and mature Service Dogs.
