Carrie Hoelzel
Pack Member
- I’ve always been an animal lover, but seeing the joy, love, and connection a dog can make has forever changed me.
- Dogs for Better Lives does work, every day; changing the way people connect with the world around them.
- Through dogs, DBL provides clients with independence, courage, comfort, and safety.
- Through my own experience, it was important to me, to support an organization that represents a blend of dog lovers, and people who want what’s best for their well-being.
- Though my dog (Shep) is no longer with me, through donation, I can make an impact; on the lives of the dogs and people who benefit from their special training and companionship.
“I’ve always been an animal lover, but seeing the joy, love, and connection a dog can make has forever changed me. Years ago, my dog Shep and I went through training to receive his Canine Good Citizen Certificate (CGC); this certification allowed us to visit local memory care facilities.
Shep was a weekly guest, even having a poster announcing he would be there at 6 pm on Wednesday nights. Residents would gather in the Community Room, for an opportunity to see, pet, and give treats, to Shep. During these visits, I watched Shep connect with the residence, in a way that people could not; through touch, they would be connected to a time long ago, and regale me with a story or conversation. This moment would last only a short while, but the joy that would be expressed on their face was humbling and rewarding.”
The Pack (aka Pack Leader) is a passionate and determined group of monthly donors on a mission to support acquisition, training, and placement of more Assistance Dogs in our lifetime. People like you, from across America, giving at a meaningful level to prove how anything is achievable when we work together.
