Phoenix Assistance Dogs

09/03/2026

PAD Brady here to announce that the lucky duck is #106! Congratulations to Shannon Bigot for being our winner!

Thank you to everyone who participated in our annual Rubber Duck retrieve, we were able to raise $1,025 during this fundraiser/256 ducks!

Stay tuned, the staff at PAD is already planning and gathering for next year’s theme! Think 🍔 🌭….

Video description: women in blue tshirt bent over mixing around rubber ducks in blue kiddie pool. A dark yellow lab in a burgundy PAD vest stands beside a blue kiddie pool on green turf and a stained wood background. He then proceeds to walk to the front of the pool, closer to the camera, before selecting his pick of duck 106!

09/02/2026

Meet Calypso’s Stars & Stripes Litter!

TWO PUPPIES AVAILABLE AS PETS!

Born July 19th, Calypso and Finn welcomed eight beautiful Golden Retriever puppies. Two puppies are available to approved pet homes and will be ready to go home September 11th!

Meet the crew:
❤️ Dawn • girl
💜 Revere • girl
🩷 Harbor • girl
💙 Yankee • boy
💚 Eagle • boy
🖤 Knox • boy
💛 Sybil • girl
🤎 Uncle Sam • boy

These puppies are part of Phoenix Assistance Dogs of Central PA’s purpose bred program and have been raised with intention from day one. They’ve experienced Early Neurological Stimulation, Early Scent Introduction, individual socialization, crate and potty training, car rides, recalls, manding, loose leash walking, training gear, and exposure to new people, places, sounds, surfaces, and more!

Calypso and Finn have full health clearances including hips, elbows, eyes, heart, and genetic testing.

🏡 Interested in one of the available puppies?

Apply here:�https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1VdRk-Jg8UfQgBldIsNLe57IVGkf1XOCLWEjH4UspxIo/edit?usp=drivesdk

🐾 Interested in becoming a volunteer Puppy Starter or Puppy Raiser? Our website is down for maintenance, so email [email protected] for information

08/27/2026

Interested in Getting Involved with PAD?

Start Here!

Whether you are interested in training your own service dog, raising a future service dog, puppy sitting, helping with one of our litters, or volunteering with our dogs in training, your first step is PAD Orientation!

Our next orientation is TODAY!

📅 Thursday, August 27, 2026
⏰ 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM
📍 Phoenix Assistance Dogs of Central PA

Orientation is mandatory for anyone who wishes to participate with PAD, including:

🐕‍🦺 Owner Trainers who want to train their own service dog with PAD
🐾 Puppy Starters
🦮 Puppy Raisers
🏡 Puppy Sitters
🍼 Breeder Caretakers
❤️ Anyone interested in handling or supporting PAD dogs in training

During orientation, we will cover PAD’s mission and training philosophy, our different programs and volunteer opportunities, expectations and time commitments, important policies, and exactly what comes next if you decide PAD is right for you.

No previous dog training or service dog experience is required! We provide the education, guidance, and support. What we need from you is reliability, follow through, and a willingness to commit to the role you choose.

⚠️ Registration is required. Orientation is not a drop in event, and you must attend the full session.

👉 Register here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/PADorientation8-26?useFullSite=true

If you have been thinking about training your own service dog or volunteering with PAD, tomorrow is the perfect place to start!

08/26/2026

Happy National Dog Day from Phoenix Assistance Dogs!

Today we’re celebrating the incredible dogs who make PAD what it is! Pictured are our amazing dogs in training, each working toward a future filled with purpose, partnership, and independence.

Behind every one of these faces are countless hours of training, socialization, veterinary care, food, supplies, and some truly incredible volunteers helping them become the very best dogs they can be.

🎁 Want to celebrate National Dog Day with our dogs? Pick something from one of PAD’s wishlists!

🐾 Chewy:
https://www.chewy.com/g/phoenix-assistance-dogs-of-central-pa_b75108397

🎓 Training:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/OF06C805BE9H?ref_=wl_share

🐶 Litters:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3P2FITXYX9MVK?ref_=wl_share

💕 Breeding:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2HAZBZTD48G5K?ref_=wl_share

Every bag of food, toy, treat, training supply, and puppy essential helps us continue the work we do with these incredible dogs.

And because National Dog Day should include ALL the dogs...

📸 SHOW US YOUR DOGS!

Drop a picture of your dog in the comments and tell us their name! Service dog, dog in training, beloved pet, retired working dog, professional couch potato, certified snack inspector... we want to see them all.

Happy National Dog Day from all of us at PAD and, most importantly, from all of these very good dogs!

08/26/2026

Interested in Getting Involved with PAD? Start Here!

Whether you are interested in training your own service dog, raising a future service dog, puppy sitting, helping with one of our litters, or volunteering with our dogs in training, your first step is PAD Orientation!

Our next orientation is TOMORROW!

📅 Thursday, August 27, 2026
⏰ 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM
📍 Phoenix Assistance Dogs of Central PA

Orientation is mandatory for anyone who wishes to participate with PAD, including:

🐕‍🦺 Owner Trainers who want to train their own service dog with PAD
🐾 Puppy Starters
🦮 Puppy Raisers
🏡 Puppy Sitters
🍼 Breeder Caretakers
❤️ Anyone interested in handling or supporting PAD dogs in training

During orientation, we will cover PAD’s mission and training philosophy, our different programs and volunteer opportunities, expectations and time commitments, important policies, and exactly what comes next if you decide PAD is right for you.

No previous dog training or service dog experience is required! We provide the education, guidance, and support. What we need from you is reliability, follow through, and a willingness to commit to the role you choose.

⚠️ Registration is required. Orientation is not a drop in event, and you must attend the full session.

👉 Register here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/PADorientation8-26?useFullSite=true

If you have been thinking about training your own service dog or volunteering with PAD, tomorrow is the perfect place to start!

08/23/2026

Help us reach $400!

🐾 2026 Rubber Duck Retrieve Fundraiser 🦆

Win a prize basket valued at over $350!

🇺🇸How It Works:

Instead of a typical duck race, we're doing things PAD-style:

We’ll release numbered rubber ducks into a pool. Then, one of our amazing service dogs will retrieve one winning duck!

🎟 Duck Pricing:

1 Duck = $5
5 Ducks = $20

💸 How to Purchase:

Send your donation to PAD:
Venmo: -Zoccola
PayPal: [email protected]
Include “Rubber Duck Retrieve” in the notes.
Email a screenshot or forwarded receipt to Alexa at [email protected]
You’ll receive your randomly assigned duck number(s) by email!

📦 Prize Basket Highlights (valued at $350+!):

For Humans:

16 Q Playmate Igloo Patriotic Cooler
FIFA SIze 5 Soccer Ball
Catch Ball Set Game
Set of 5 Patriotic Dog Themed Kitchen Towels
28" Statue of Liberty Plastic Kite
Catch Ball Badminton Set - Red/Blue
Patriotic Ice Cream Blue Frisbee
Patriotic Tic-Tac-Toe Wooden Game Set
Red/White/Blue Bow Garland
Bubble Wand - 5oz
Giant Plush Uncle Sam Duck Stuffed Animal
Glass Patriotic Cup
Patriotic Kids Sunglasses
Two Pop No Drop Ice Cream Holders (Red & Blue
Mini Felt Banner - Patriotic
Red Soccer Keychain
Stacks & Stripes Jenga Game
Albanese "US of Yay Gummies) - 8.5 oz bag
Priorities - Star-Spangled Edition Card Game
"Uncle Yam" Mr. Potato Head Toy
Mondo Llama - Create Your Own Red, White & Blue Bracelet Kit
5 Patriotic Bracelets
$25 Amazon gift card

For Dogs:

Nerf Dog 4th of July/250th Anniversary Football Tug Dog Toy
12 oz bag of Milk Bone Mini's Red, White and Woof Treats
6 oz bag of Rowdies Chicken Dog Treats
Multipet Blue Patriotic Grunting Pig Dog Toy
8 rolls (160 bags) of Patriotic Dog P**p Bags
BARK "Liberty Cone" Dog Toy
BARK "Uncle Duck" Dog Toy
BARK "Star-Spangled Squeaks" Dog Toy
12 inch Beef Cheek Roll Chew
$25 Chewy gift card

🗺 Open to All!

Whether you’re local or out of state, you’re welcome to participate.

Local winners: pick up at PAD
Non-local winners: we’ll ship! (Shipping cost will be discussed with the winner)

🦆 Don’t miss this fun, furry, splashy way to support PAD’s mission!
Every duck you purchase helps us raise life-changing service dogs.

08/17/2026

🇺🇸🐾 It’s National Nonprofit Day! 🐾🇺🇸

These four little ladies from our Stars & Stripes Litter )Dawn, Revere, Harbor & Sybil) may look like they’re busy being cute right now… but behind every PAD puppy is a nonprofit community making their future possible. ❤️🤍💙

Phoenix Assistance Dogs is powered by volunteers and supported by people who believe that disabled individuals deserve greater independence, access, choice, and partnership.

Every puppy we raise represents an enormous investment of time, training, veterinary care, food, supplies, socialization, and love before they ever become part of an assistance dog team.

On National Nonprofit Day, would you consider purchasing something from our wishlist to help us continue that work?

It will help us raise puppies like these four, support the dogs already in training, and continue providing resources and training to the people who will ultimately depend on them.

If PAD has touched your life, or you simply believe in what these four little girls could grow up to accomplish, we’d be incredibly grateful for your support today on National Nonprofit Day!

Chewy: https://www.chewy.com/g/phoenix-assistance-dogs-of-central-pa_b75108397

Training: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/OF06C805BE9H?ref_=wl_share

Litters: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3P2FITXYX9MVK?ref_=wl_share

Breeding: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2HAZBZTD48G5K?ref_=wl_share

08/04/2026

Bark-Toberfest 2026 Raffle

We are quickly approaching our 3rd Annual Bark-Toberfest! As is tradition, we are holding a raffle to pick the dog on our 2026 t-shirt design. This begins IMMEDIATELY and the winner will be pulled 8/22/26.

HOW IT WORKS

🐕‍🦺Send $5 via PayPal to [email protected] or via Venmo . In the memo of your payment, please include PAD Bark-Toberfest 2026 and the dog’s name you want to enter. Example: PAD Bark-Toberfest Mushu

🐕‍🦺Each $5 equals one entry. You can send multiple within the same payment. Just be descriptive in the memo!

🐕‍🦺 Each entry will be assigned a number determined by the order in which we receive them. On 8/22/26, we will use a random number generator to pick the winner.

RULES

🐕‍🦺The entered dog must be a PAD dog. This includes any dog past or present, released, retired, in training, or working. While we would love donations in your dog’s name, we cannot include them as an entry in the raffle.

🐕‍🦺The winning dog cannot have won in a past Bark-Toberfest raffle. We will accept entries in their name, but if their name is pulled, will re-draw. This includes our 2024 winner, Ken, and 2025 winner, Dasher.

Any questions can be sent directly to PAD staff member, Sarah Montgomery on FB messenger or [email protected].

07/29/2026

07/27/2026

36 years ago yesterday, the Americans with Disabilities Act became law!

The ADA changed the course of history by affirming that people with disabilities deserve equal access to education, employment, transportation, businesses, and public life.

For the assistance dog community, it also established the legal protections that allow trained service dogs to accompany their handlers in public, making greater independence and participation possible for countless people.

Yesterday, we also celebrated another milestone!

This is Lucha, formerly PAD Crostini from our Charcuterie Litter, who was matched with her partner.

A photograph like this is about so much more than a dog wearing a vest.

It's about a person gaining confidence to navigate the world. It's about having the support to participate more fully in everyday life. It's about reducing barriers and increasing independence.

That is what the ADA has always been about. At Phoenix Assistance Dogs, every team we celebrate represents the promise of accessibility in action. While there is still work to be done to create a truly inclusive world, partnerships like Lucha's remind us why that work matters.

So, here’s to 36 years of progress, to the advocates who came before us, and to every handler, volunteer, puppy raiser, donor, and supporter helping create a future where everyone has the opportunity to belong
Congratulations, Lucha, and happy belated ADA Anniversary.