Volunteer Spotlight: Sharon Benn

Volunteer + adopter = happiness

As many of our volunteers and fosters will attest, it’s impossible to help out at FSD and not fall in love with our dogs. A case in point is Sharon Benn, who started volunteering at FSD in 2015 and is now a Handler 2—our highest level volunteer—which means she can accompany training staff on outings, work with dogs one-on-one on-site without a trainer present, and participate in puppy outings.

Sharon’s love of dogs led her to volunteer at FSD, but she says, “It also gives me a chance to make a difference, especially preparing dogs to be of service, however it is needed by their humans. I am lucky to volunteer with such incredible people. The staff at FSD love what they do and love the impact they have on the lives of dogs and the people they unite them with.”

In 2019, Sharon’s 10-year-old golden retriever passed away, and she learned that an FSD dog named Galway was changing careers and up for adoption. Says Sharon, “I knew that Galway would be a perfect fit for our family. She is so mellow and sweet, like Stella, my other golden. They were such good friends from the beginning. Adopting a career-change dog is a chance to continue the love these dogs feel at Freedom. They may not be service dogs any longer, but they are exceptional friends for life.”

Interested in adopting a career-change dog? Browse our adoptables.

FSD is currently seeking volunteer puppy raisers and weekend fosters for adult dogs. To learn more about these opportunities, visit https://freedomservicedogs.org/volunteer/.