DogFest LAOC 2022 Supporting Canine Companions
DogFest LAOC 2022 Supporting Canine Companions
About DogFest LAOC 2022
Gather your friends, family and dogs and join the fun! The human-canine bond is truly unique. On our happiest and hardest of days, our dogs love us endlessly. They are our everyday heroes in so many ways. Whether as assistance dogs, working dogs or pet dogs, there are countless tales of man's best friend doing amazing things. Join the fun at DogFest LA/OC or participate fundraising virtually as we celebrate the joy dogs bring to our lives. Registration is free. Fundraising is encouraged. There are sponsorship and volunteer opportunities too!
When registering, be sure to indicate you are bringing a dog to get your free DogFest dog bandana. Then fundraise to qualify for some fun DogFest swag!
DogFest LA/OC will be partnering with Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar in Irvine, CA for an entire week (September 25 - October 1) Dine-N-Donate fundraiser. When dining please show a printed version of this DogFest Flyer or on your phone and when ordering take-out online use code: 06Canine. Canine Companions will receive 15% of the proceeds from dining and take-out but in order to get credit you MUST show the flyer or use the code.
Join us for our DogFest LA/OC celebration day on September 28 from 11:30am – 7:30pm where we will be hosting a booth to fundraise and share Canine Companion’s mission. There will be a special appearance by Los Angeles Chargers influencer pup, Brisket, from 5:00pm – 7:30pm! Grab your dog, tell your friends, and come join us with an appetite!
(Reservations may be recommended for patio seating for non-service dogs)
Be sure to check out our Facebook event page for the latest on DogFest LA/OC, participate in dog-friendly activities and let people know why you are participating. You can even download this fun sign and let everyone know how your dog brings you joy.
DogFest supports the mission of Canine Companions to enhance the lives of people with disabilities by providing expertly trained service dogs free of charge. These service dogs make a profound impact through the jobs they do like opening doors, picking up dropped items, alerting to sounds and much more.
Don’t miss out on DogFest. Join the fun!
Canine Companions' Impact Since 1975
More Reasons to Support
Date
Starts at: September 28, 2022 1:30 PM
Ends at: September 28, 2022 9:30 PM
Location
Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar
13290 Jamboree Road
Irvine,CA 92602 USA
Contact
1-800-572-2275
Gather your friends, family and dogs for a day of fun!
DogFest is Canine Companions' national signature event, supporting the mission of Canine Companions to enhance the lives of people with disabilities by providing expertly trained service dogs free of charge. These service dogs make a profound impact through the jobs they do like opening doors, picking up dropped items, alerting to sounds and much more. Your participation makes a profound impact.
Our dogs love us endlessly, and the human-canine bond is powerful! Whether as service dogs, working dogs or pet dogs, there are countless tales of our best friends doing amazing things. We invite you to join the fun at your local DogFest or participate virtually as we gather to celebrate the joy dogs bring to our lives. Registration is free. Fundraising is encouraged.
There are sponsorship [LINK], volunteer [LINK] and vendor [LINK] opportunities, too!
Why We Fundraise
Canine Companions transforms the lives of people with disabilities by providing expertly trained service dogs. Our dogs perform practical tasks that enhance independence and reduce reliance on others. They aren't just the eyes and ears, hands and legs of their human partners, they're also goodwill ambassadors and often, our best friends. A student achieves their dreams of attending college. A veteran gets a good night sleep. A patient can endure an additional procedure. Lives are transformed after being matched and working with a Canine Companions service dog.
According to the U.S. Census, nearly 1 in 4 people in the U.S. have a disability. While it costs approximately $50,000 to raise and train every Canine Companions service dog and provide ongoing support to the human-canine team, each dog is provided to the recipient completely FREE of charge. Canine Companions has placed over 7,000 service dogs, but more than 400 people with disabilities are still waiting for a match.
Our service dogs open up new opportunities and spread incredible joy. By raising funds through DogFest, you support our mission and the people we serve. Thank you.
Canine Companions in LA/OC Community
- 79 active graduates
- 27 active puppy raisers
Story of Independence
When Michael turned 4 years old he was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, a disease that eats away at the cartilage, making the joints rub against each other causing pain. For the most part the disease wasn't very active and he could still play sports. When he turned 13 years old is when his disease had progressed to the point where he couldn't go play sports or even go out to play with friends and he had his first joint replacement. After that he would have 5 more joint replacements. "Even with all the surgeries I was still in a lot of pain and I spent a lot of time inside away from everyone." It was in May of 2011 when Michael would graduate with his first service dog, Rosebud II, who would go on to change his life. "I wasn't afraid to go out by myself anymore because I knew that Rosebud was there to help me. She also gave me confidence." In 2019, Rosebud retired and in 2020 Michael would go onto graduate with his successor service dog, Noodle. Noodle helps Michael pick up dropped items, take socks off, turn on/off light switches, and retrieve items from different rooms. "Because of the pandemic, I wasn't able to go out a lot which made me sad but Noodle has always been by my side to cheer me up and give me extra cuddles." Even during a pandemic, Canine Companions' service dogs have stepped up and shown that they can change people's lives no matter what's going on in the world.