Canine Companions for Independence, Inc. is the first and largest assistance dog organization in the United States. Henry Schein Animal Health is the leading companion animal health product and services provider in the United States, and earlier this month the company announced that it has begun delivering care packages to veterinarians for their clients who volunteer to raise puppies for Canine Companions.
Every Henry Schein Cares-Canine Companions Puppy Raiser Care Package is valued at more than $300. It contains essential items for caring for and raising a puppy during its first 18 months of life. They are sending the care packages to help reduce the costs that both volunteers and vets incur. The company originally announced the new program in April, but now the care packages have officially started rolling out to veterinary offices.
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Canine Companions for Independence was founded in 1975. It is a non-profit organization that created the concept of training assistance dogs for people with physical disabilities. Since their inception, the organization has placed more than 4,800 assistance dog teams. Currently they have over 1,600 volunteer puppy raisers that provide obedience training and early socialization, both of which are vital in preparing a puppy for his life as an assistance dog.
Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Henry Schein Inc. (the parent company of Henry Schein Animal Health) says that Canine Companions for Independence provide people in need with tremendous benefits. These benefits are the result of a strong partnership between the dedicated volunteers, amazing dogs and the skilled veterinarians who care for them. He says that Henry Schein Animal Health is proud to support this endeavor with the Puppy Raiser Care Packages.
Paul Mundell, CEO of Canine Companions for Independence says the care packages are a helpful resource for the volunteers who spend their own money and dedicate their time to raising these exceptional dogs to help people in need. Each care package includes:
- HEARTGARD Plus (heartworm preventative)
- NexGard Chewables (flea and tick preventative)
- FURminatorGrooming Brush
- 1 quart Stainless Steel Bowl
- 2 quart Stainless Steel Bowl
- Nutrisentials Lean Treats
- E.T. VEGGIEDENT® Tartar Control Chews for Dogs
- E.T. Fingerbrush with Toothpaste Packet
- Welactin Omega 3 Liquid Supplement
Canine Companions for Independence provides assistance dogs to children and adults with disabilities. They have six training centers across the country, and they are recognized worldwide for the excellence of their dogs and the longevity and quality of the matches that they make between humans and canines. There is no charge for the dogs, the ongoing training, or any of the follow-up services that they provide.
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Henry Schein Animal Health is based in Dublin, Ohio and they are the leading companion animal health distribution company in the U.S. They have 12 strategically placed distribution centers so they can maintain a greater than 99 percent order-fill ratio. Their mission is to provide the right product at the right place and at the right time. Henry Schein Animal Health partners with more than 500 global suppliers to bring veterinarians the largest selection of health care products for companion animals, equine, and large animals.
It is partnerships like this one that I wish we would see more often; large corporations giving back to non-profits and charitable organizations to help people in need. It is these kinds of generous acts that restore our face in big business and make us realize that not all large corporations are just out to make a buck. Some of them, like Henry Schein Inc., are concerned about making the world a little bit better, and that’s just what they’re doing – one assistance dog at a time.
