ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Niagara Dog Rescue is pleased to announce a new initiative that will connect rescued dogs with veterans, police, firefighters, and emergency medical services personnel while providing support that strengthens the companionship between the adopter and the rescued dog.

This new program is called the Companionship Initiative.

Niagara Dog Rescue acknowledges that veterans, police, firefighters, and emergency medical services personnel contribute immensely to the protection of our rights and freedoms, our security, our health, and our well-being. Veterans, police, firefighters, and emergency medical services personnel serve selflessly. They often serve without recognition, and they willingly endure hardship so that we may live safely, and in peace.

Niagara Dog Rescue also understands the importance that dog companionship can bring to our lives, and the lives of veterans, police, firefighters, and emergency medical services personnel, and their families. Dogs comfort us, enable us, and improve our mental and physical well-being. Many rescued dogs become lifelong, loyal, and treasured members of our family.

COMPANIONSHIP INITIATIVE IN THE NEWS

"Rescue dogs matched with veterans, first responders" - Pelham Today

"Companionship initiative launched for veterans, emergency workers" - Thorold Today

"New initiative matching rescue dogs with veterans and first responders" - Niagara This Week

"Rescue dogs matched with veterans, first responders" - Niagara-On-The-Lake Local

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WHAT DO WE HOPE TO ACHIEVE?

NDR’s Companionship Initiative is about building and supporting the mutual companionship that veterans, police, firefighters, and emergency medical services personnel and rescued dogs can have with each other. This initiative endeavors to acknowledge the important work that veterans, police, firefighters, and emergency medical services personnel do in our communities, while enhancing lives through dog fellowship. The Companionship Initiative also recognizes the importance of protecting and safeguarding the health and safety of dogs at risk, and the role that veterans, police, firefighters, and emergency medical services personnel can play in achieving this outcome.

Niagara Dog Rescue’s Companionship Initiative will:

  • Work with veterans, police, firefighters, and emergency medical services personnel to source a dog that is the right fit through its Canadian, US or international rescue network.

  • Link the rescued dog to the veteran, police, firefighter, and emergency medical services personnel.

  • Subsidize the veteran’s, police, firefighter's, emergency medical service personnel’s adoption fee.

  • Provide initial resources to help transition the rescued dog to the veteran, police, firefighter, emergency medical services member.

  • Foster the veteran’s, police, firefighter's, emergency medical service member’s, and rescue dog’s journey with a curated training program provided by Educanine and Petcademy.

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PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for NDR support through the Companionship Initiative, the adopter must be:

  • a Canadian Armed Forces veteran;

  • a licensed member of a municipal, provincial, regional, First Nations, or federal police service, auxiliary police service;

  • a licensed firefighter in a municipal, provincial, regional, First Nations, or federal fire service, auxiliary fire service; or

  • a licensed member of a municipal, provincial, regional, First Nations, or federal emergency medical service.

HOW TO APPLY

Applicants must apply to the Companionship Initiative by completing a Companionship Initiative adoption form. The Companionship Initiative adoption form is available here.


AFTER YOU APPLY

Niagara Dog Rescue will review your application and eligibility for adoption under the Companionship Initiative. Applicants will be notified once a decision is made on an application.