In February of 2016, a very generous donor had donated their 2006 Ford E450 Cutaway cube van, also known as a Fun Mover RV, to Canine Companions for Independence. This “van” was used while the donors were away on trips for agility and more. The front was the living space and the back was a transport. The transport section is where they had the dogs cages, supplies, food, fans and more. They use the vehicle quite often when they traveled to agility competitions. Some cutaway vans that you may have seen before include ambulances and Class C motor homes (RV’s). Now, some of you may be curious as to why a van would be special, and that is because it was kindly donated by dog owners to a great organization.

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The donors knew about vehicle donation programs, but didn’t know if they would take an RV. So they had looked online and found Car Donation Wizard. While online, the donor searched through the charities because they wanted to choose the right one for them. They decided to donate to Canine Companions for Independence.

It was the perfect fit because we used the Dog RV for our agility dogs, so Canine Companions for Independence was a perfect fit. The Bond between Dogs and Humans, and the ability to help dogs help people felt right. I feel really good about it, it was easy. Just a few emails and calls and it was done. It went smoothly, much smoother than it would have been if I were to trade it in/sell it. ~Donor.

 

http://www.cci.org/site/c.cdKGIRNqEmG/b.3978475/k.BED8/Home.htm

Canine Companions for Independence was founded in 1975. They are a non-profit that provides highly trained and vetted assistance dogs to people that have disabilities. Their headquarters is in Santa Rosa, CA but they work nationwide. They have six locations/regions including:

• North Central
• North East
• North West
• South Central
• South East
• South West

It all starts with their breeding program. They only select certain pairs of dogs to breed. To read about their breeding program click here.

They train four types of assistance dogs including:

• Service Dogs

• Facility Dogs 

• Skilled Companion Dogs 

• Hearing Dogs 

The breeds they use for assistance dogs include: Golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers and a mix of the two. The assistance dogs go through extensive training and tests that they must pass in order to become an assistance dog.  Each dog lives with a puppy raiser until they are around 14-16 months old. They are put through 6-9 months of training at the regional training center with a professional trainer. Every dog undergoes medical and temperament tests. So much goes into ensuring the success and training of each dog, to make sure they are ready to help their human companions. You can see more about their training here. 

Canine Companions for Independence has also helped U.S. War veterans’. To find out more information about how they help, click here. 

Car donations and vehicle donations help your favorite charity obtain funding for what they do best. If you are interested in donating your vehicle to Canine Companions for Independence, you can do so by clicking here or by visiting: http://www.v-dac.com/org?id=94-2494324

Canine Companions for Independence does not charge for their assistance dogs. They are funded by private contributors, gifts, grants and fundraising.

If you have a car, truck, SUV, RV, boat, motorcycle, etc., think about donating it to your favorite charity. You can search out site to find the charity that best suites you by clicking here.