Morgan Musser: Raising Service Puppies
Morgan Musser and her service puppy in training.
Several years ago, SFHC freshman Morgan Musser came across the organization Good Dog! Service Canines, a nonprofit organization that trains service dogs for children with various disabilities, including Autism. Morgan connected with a professional dog trainer, Brittney Morgan, through a different organization they both volunteered at. Very quickly, she realized that Good Dog! was the place for her.
“I instantly was super curious about [Brittney’s] job and resonated with the driving values of Good Dog! Service Canine,” Morgan writes, “competency, authenticity, resiliency and empathy.”
Since then, Morgan has trained three dogs as a volunteer Puppy Raiser and gained many experiences that have shaped her deeply. She has also done her part to help fundraise for the organization and attend many outreach events.
Upon reflecting on her experiences so far with Good Dog!, Morgan writes:
“The most memorable experience I have had while volunteering was when I attended an event in Irvine through The Autism Community in Action (another amazing organization) to spread awareness of the benefits of service dogs for those with Autism. It was life changing to hear so many families' stories and truly an honor to represent Good Dog! in such an impactful way.”
Recently, Morgan presented on her experience at Honors Colloquium, a weekly public hall attended by Smittcamp scholars as part of their college curriculum. She continues to spread awareness about service dogs and the etiquette people should follow when encountering them by creating a club here at Fresno State. Anyone who is interested in being involved, either as a member or a club officer, is encouraged to join.
Morgan encourages anyone who is interested in being a puppy raiser, bilingual volunteer, grant writer, photographer, or fundraiser volunteer to reach out to her to email, or to contact info@gooddogautism.org. Those interested can also give monetary donations to Good Dog! to help finance a child to receive a service dog.
For more information about how to get involved, please visit the Good Dog! Website: gooddogservicecanines.org.
