Local service organization Zonta Club of Jefferson City is sponsoring the raising and training of a Labrador puppy that will one day become a service dog and help someone in need.
Zonta member Kathy Peerson has raised and donated many of her puppy litters to Puppies With Purpose (PWP) and CHAMP Assistance Dogs, both dedicated to training service dogs for five years.
"I've always loved Labrador retrievers, and it's so amazing to see what this training can bring out in them," Peerson said. "They can do the most amazing things, but they just need someone to show them how."
Zonta's mission is the advancement of women and children, Peerson said, and many their causes are to fight violence against women and children and to help prevent diseases in countries with poor health care.
The idea to turn her passion into a cause came to Peerson as the club's service year was drawing to a close and they were looking for new ways to donate their efforts, she said. Peerson happened to have a new litter, and when she approached members with the idea, they fully supported it.
"(The donation) fits our mission so well because not only are Puppies With Purpose and their parent group, CHAMP, female-run, but the inmates who are doing the training are also women," Peerson said. "(The inmates) learn really valuable skills, and it's a great deal of responsibility given to them."
The Labrador puppy will be named after the club, officially named "Zonta JC of Peertree Acres" - or simply "Zonta."
Peerson knew Zonta was the perfect match due to his easygoing, peaceful temperament, curious nature and how much he trusts people.
"You can pass him around from person to person, and he simply looks at you with curiousity," Peerson said.
The week after the July Fourth weekend, Zonta will begin the journey to become a service dog, Peerson said. He will travel between Puppies With Purpose in Columbia, learning how to socialize and get used to everyday human life, and CHAMP Assistance Dogs in St. Louis, learning the specific skills all service dogs need.
"The hope is, the earlier you get them exposed to things, the less likely they are going to be frightened of those things when they get older," said Terri Warhoven, PWP founder and director. "Because they can't be frightened if they're service dogs."
Nationally, only about 50 percent of dogs that enter service dog training programs make it all the way through, she said.
"They have to be structurally sound and have a temperament that's not afraid of anything," Warhoven said. "The dog has to be able to function in crowds, like people, but also can focus on their individual."
"Dogs have their own way to tell us if they want to help people," said CHAMP Placement Services Manager Dana Ruff. "You can always tell by how the dogs gravitate to us, if they seem to be more interested in other things, or if they're confident but not overly confident about what they do."
CHAMP makes sure any service dog it trains is able to meet a specific client's needs but also makes sure there's chemistry between the dog and its person, Ruff said.
Ruff remembers a time when a client, who was a CEO of a children's hospital, met a CHAMP dog for the first time and the instant chemistry between them.
"The connection was immediate, and it was like love at first sight," Ruff said. "It was the most obvious connection I'd ever seen. He didn't even look back, like many of our dogs do, as they both walked out."
Peerson said she believes both PWP and CHAMP are great organizations for those who need the assistance of service dogs because of the time they put into training and providing services to those with disabilities at little to no cost.
"He's going to learn all these great skills and help someone live a better, more productive life," Peerson said.