Celebrating Canine Advocates’ Graduation

Today, we proudly announce the graduation of our first partner, the Canine Advocate Program. Over the past eight years, 1 FUR 1 Foundation provided extensive financial, strategic, and logistical support, guiding the program’s successful acquisition by Care House of Oakland County, a government-funded agency. During our partnership, we developed a tracking system to capture the impact provided by canine advocate teams. We also offered support staff to assist with administrative tasks and funded numerous essentials, such as dog trading cards and children’s coloring books, which helped young survivors understand the judicial process. This graduation is a testament to the dedication and hard work of everyone involved. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all those who have been  part of this journey.

Canine Advocates across Michigan state are career change dogs from Leader Dog for the Blind.Currently, there are over 30 teams working at advocacy and resiliency centers, prosecutors’ offices, and county courtrooms. These teams are specially trained to support child crime survivors as they navigate the US judicial system. Throughout our partnership, we have impacted more than 24,000 child crime survivors and their families, while the canine advocates have conducted over 2,000 court appearances. As a result, child crime survivors across Michigan now have access to a canine advocate to help them through the judicial system. This access ensures they receive the support they need during such a challenging time.

Lance and Amos are the founding members of Canine Advocates.

Dan Cojanu (founder of Canine Advocates), Cindy Boyer, Jill Simms.

1FUR1 looks forward to helping more small nonprofits accelerate their growth and ensure their animal-assisted missions thrive. Gaining knowledge, financial aid, guidance, and support during the initial years of any nonprofit is critical to ensuring a thriving future. We are committed to providing leadership and management skills to secure animal assisted therapy and activities are considered as a part of a valid alternative healthcare. We strive to empower these nonprofits to make a meaningful impact on the lives of people in need and to advocate the many benefits of animal assisted services. By working together, we can create a stronger, more supportive community for all.

Join us in celebrating this momentous occasion and reflecting on our incredible achievements. Here’s to many more years of making a difference, one paw at a time.