The Whitfield family, composed of Erin, Jef and their daughter, Ella, first heard about Can Do Canines about five years ago. Erin recalls, “A friend from church told me about Can Do Canines. Her son used to work at the Stanley Prison. We started fostering in January of 2018.”
In the four years that have passed since then, the Whitfields have volunteered in many different ways. “We have done Weekend Prison Fostering, Puppy Sitting, Short-Term Fostering, Great Starts, and Long-Term Fostering. I have also helped make phone calls for Can Do Canines after a fundraiser,” Erin reports.
When asked about her favorite memory of her time volunteering, Erin couldn't pick just one. She says, “There are so many wonderful memories. I loved fostering with my mom. We would both get a Prison Foster the same weekend, then we would let them play together and go on an outing together over the weekend. A fun memory I have with one of the dogs would be when we fostered Paige. My daughter had lost a ping pong ball and we were discussing where to look. Paige wandered off and reappeared with the missing ball! She knew what we were looking for and she found it and brought it right to us!”
When asked what has surprised them about volunteering, Erin says, “I'm always amazed at how much the pups learn and how smart they are! I'm also continually amazed that the dogs are given to those who need them, free of charge. Working with these smart pups is so rewarding on so many levels.”
What about outside of volunteering? Erin says, “Other than working with the pups, my family enjoys theater and the arts. We enjoy spending time in nature, traveling, and watching movies. I am an avid knitter, and also love to read and do puzzles.”
Erin concludes, “We have met so many wonderful people through Can Do Canines. I have been so fortunate to have formed so many new friendships with wonderful people I would never have met otherwise.”
Fostering dogs on 94 different occasions is an amazing accomplishment. We would like to share our deep gratitude to this amazing family for all they have done and continue to do.
A Herding Dog and his Hearing Job
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