Volunteer Opportunities
NSD would not exist without the hard work and dedication of our 275+ volunteers who generously donate over 292,000 hours of volunteer time annually.
Step 1: Check out all our volunteer opportunities below to learn more about them.
Step 2: Click the “Sign Up Here” button to complete an application.
Step 3: Remember your username and password – we use MyImpactPage.com for most of our volunteer communications.
Step 4: Expect an email within 2 weeks of applying – please check your spam/trash folder too!
Do you love dogs? There are a variety of ways to volunteer at National Service Dogs (NSD) and work with our life-changing puppies-in-training and dogs in Advanced Training! Did you know only about 10% of our service dogs’ training is done by our trainers, the rest is done by dedicated volunteers! Regardless of how you plan to volunteer, YOUR HELP IS NEEDED!
Puppy Raiser
Have you always wondered how service dogs learn to help their handlers? Do you want to be part of a service dog’s story? By dedicating your time, energy, and love to a future service dog, you get one of the most rewarding experiences possible. And the best part is that you don’t need any experience to become a Puppy Raiser!
As an NSD Puppy Raiser, your job is to be dedicated to your puppy – providing them with care, training, house manners, socialization, and exposure to new people, places, and experiences. Puppy Raisers get lots of support from our team, attend regular training classes, and learn new skills while making new friends! NSD Puppy Raisers take on a dog from about 10 weeks old to 14-16 months of age. Puppy Raisers have access to Puppy Sitters when they need a day, weekend, or a week off. By deciding to become a Puppy Raiser, you are helping one more dog change one more life for the better!
This volunteer role requires patience and dedication as well as an ability to say goodbye at the end of their journey. The volunteer must live within 45 minutes of NSD (1286 Cedar Creek Rd), have no children under the age of 5 living in the house, a maximum of 2 dogs in their home that are over 1 year of age, and live no higher than the 7th floor of apartment buildings. Volunteers will be required to attend weekly training classes.
Learn about the complete volunteer requirements here.
Adult Raiser
Adult Raisers are another vital volunteer role with NSD. You take on a service-dog-in-training when they are 14-16 months old and help facilitate their training and care until they find their forever family. As an Adult Raiser, you polish the dog’s current skills and manners and test their abilities with a new handler as they enter a new environment. Adult Raisers also have a lot of support from the NSD team and attend regular training classes. During the dog’s final stage of training, they will be attending NSD University during the week but will return to their Adult Raiser on the weekends and evenings.
This volunteer role requires firm expectations and consistency as these dogs are getting close to finding their forever family. The volunteer must live within 30 minutes of the NSD Education Centre (1440 King St. E. Kitchener, ON), have no children under the age of 1 living in the house, and a maximum of 2 dogs in their home that are over 1 year of age. Adult Raisers are expected to attend monthly training classes while they have the dog.
Learn about the complete volunteer requirements here.
Doggy Carpool Driver
Do you love dogs and driving? We have the perfect opportunity as a Doggy Carpool Driver. This volunteer role involves picking up NSD University/College dogs from their Adult Raiser’s home and bringing them to training in Kitchener/Cambridge. Driving is done on weekdays in the morning from about 7-8 am and in the evening from about 4-5 pm. Some additional shifts may be available from 9-10 am and 3-4 pm.
This role requires consistent availability for one route. Doggy Carpool Drivers need to have a valid G license and access to a reliable vehicle.
Learn about the complete volunteer requirements here.
Breeder Caretaker
As a Breeder Caretaker, you get to help the next generation of Service Dogs begin their journey. In this role, you welcome a breeding dog into your home and provide a safe and loving environment in between litters. You bring the dog to all of their appointments and care for them until retirement from the breeding program; females typically retire after 4-5 litters or at 6 years old.
Preferably, Breeder Caretakers for female dogs also welcome litters of puppies! With support from staff and our whelping program, you would host the litter of puppies for about 7 weeks. This includes keeping the puppies’ area clean and stimulating for both mom and her puppies. The main goal at this stage is to care for and socialize the puppies until they are ready to start training with their Puppy Raisers. As a Breeder Caretaker, you are the first step in raising confident Service Dogs.
Requirements:
Learn about the complete volunteer requirements here.
Whelping Home
Whelping home volunteers welcome litters of puppies! With support from NSD staff and our whelping program, you would host the litter of puppies for about eight weeks. This includes keeping the puppies’ area clean and stimulating for both mom and her puppies. The main goal at this stage is to care for and socialize the puppies until they are ready to start training with their Puppy Raisers.
Requirements:
For more details on this role, click here.
Making an impact doesn’t always happen on the other end of a leash; being behind a desk is just as crucial to producing our life-changing dogs. Volunteers’ knowledge and expertise within organizational roles are essential. Regardless of how you plan to volunteer, YOUR HELP IS NEEDED!
Maintenance of Property (Indoor and Outdoor)
Whether behind a lawn mower or behind a leash, all our volunteers are making an impact. NSD has a large property where we train, house dogs, and have office space. We look for volunteers to support us in maintaining the property from cutting the grass and picking up sticks/leaves, to cleaning the inside of the building. These volunteer opportunities are all based out of our property at 1286 Cedar Creek Rd, Cambridge.
Current Need: Applications are open. Immediate need.
Events and Fundraising
*We are not currently accepting applications for this role*
Events and Fundraising volunteers help us engage with our community. NSD hosts and supports a number of fundraising and event initiatives within the community to spread awareness of what NSD does and raise funds to help us continue to provide Certified Service Dogs to our community. Tasks may also include interacting with the public, helping with event registration, advocating for NSD and supporting the participants and dogs who attend our events.
Some events are based out of the NSD office in Cambridge, Ontario however we host events all across the province and Canada. For example, our annual Easter Egg Hunt for Dogs (on Good Friday) is hosted in the following cities: Kitchener, Guelph, Oakville, St. Catharines, Windsor, London, Toronto, and Calgary, Alberta. Our annual Motorcycle Ride (July) is held in Waterloo.
Board of Directors
National Service Dogs, a national, registered charity, is seeking new volunteer Board Members to support our organization’s growth and strategic mission. NSD’s board has a governance focus and is accredited by Imagine Canada. Directors engage in 6 formal meetings annually with additional committee work and can expect approx. 10-20 hours per month and are elected to a 2 year term. We are currently interested in candidates with a background in one of the following areas:
Board Governance, including:
Experience serving on a non-profit Board of Directors
Formal education/courses completed in board governance
Data management and IT Systems implementation, including:
Best practices collecting and storing data, including Personal Information
Experience leveraging data to tell compelling stories
Experience with IT and Systems planning
Legal background, including:
Strong understanding of Labour laws and Human Rights regulations
Experience working with government partners/advocating for legislative change
If you have expertise in the above mentioned areas, live in Canada and are interested in learning more or applying, please send your questions, resume and cover letter to boardapplications@nsd.on.ca by May 3, 2024.