For Hicksville’s Diane Fergenson, getting involved with Dog Fest Walk ‘n Roll, seemed like an obvious choice.
“It just made sense to see what I could do,” Fergenson says.
For the past 20 years, Fergenson has been a volunteer and puppy raiser for Canine Companions for Independence, a national non-profit that provides assistance dogs to children and adults with disabilities. As a puppy raiser, she gets 8-week-old puppies and teaches them basic commands, and acclimates them to the world.
“We make them polite and train them in simple commands. The dog has to have experience with what’s out there so nothing will surprise them and so they know what it’s like to go into a movie or on a bus or into a restaurant,” says Fergenson.
Fellow Hicksville resident, Linda Herskowitz, is a first-time puppy raiser, teaching 8-month-old Zindel obedience skills.
“I love that you can give back. It’s a humbling experience and an honor,” she says.
At 18 months, the dog is given back to Canine Companions for “doggy college,” where it receives advanced training and learns other commands, and is then matched with a recipient. Fergenson gets to go to the graduation ceremony and hands the leash off to the new owner.
“There’s nothing like that. How many times can you say you changed a life? As a puppy raiser that’s what you do. It’s amazing how much joy you can experience,” says Fergenson. “I never thought it would be possible to have that much reward watching a graduate get their dog and leave as a team. It’s really remarkable. I’m very fortunate to be involved.”
When Canine Companions launched their signature DogFest Walk ‘n Roll event 20 years ago, she was one of the first to sign up and create a fundraising team (which has already raised $2,000). She’s acted as a chair or co-chair since the event started and has helped it grow into a huge community outreach event.
“People can come spend the day with their dog. When we first started, that was unheard of. We put together all these activities for dogs and kids and no one was interested in kid activities, everyone just wanted to play with their dogs,” says Fergenson.
Dogs and their owners are invited to come out and enjoy food, vendors, a dog costume parade, scavenger hunts and more at the event which takes place Oct. 11 at 11 a.m. at Marjorie Post Park in Massapequa.
To learn more about DogFest Walk ‘n Roll, visit: cci.org/dogfestlongisland
