JANUARY 2025

Colorado Avalanche welcome FSD Maxy to the team

Freedom Service Dogs, along with the Colorado Avalanche and Goodheart Animal Health Center, are overjoyed to announce the birth of the first-ever team dog, Maxy! Maxy, a Labrador retriever, was born on December 18, 2024, at Freedom Service Dogs in Englewood, weighing just 16 ounces. Maxy will spend the next year with her FSD puppy raiser, who will prepare her for her future work as a service dog by attending Avs events and socializing with the team. We are so excited to follow her journey!

Maxy is the nickname of Peter McNab, the Avalanche’s color analyst for 27 years and U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer, who passed away after a battle with cancer on November 6, 2022. To honor the legacy of McNab, Maxy will grow up to be a Freedom Service Dog and impact the lives of others, just like the man she’s named after. We can't wait for you to meet her!

MEET MAXY >>

Help us celebrate Maxy's arrival by making a donation to Freedom Service Dogs! Your gift of any amount will provide Maxy with essentials like food, toys, and veterinary care. Every donation helps Maxy on her journey to become a custom-trained FSD Service Dog for someone in need. Visit us at freedomservicedogs.org to learn more!

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SEND LOVE WITH FSD eCARDS

Looking for the pawfect gift for your valentine? Send a festive FSD eCard, packed with all the puppy cuteness they could wish for. Regardless of the donation amount, every card sent directly supports our mission. Now that’s a sweet gift!

SEND eCARD >>

NEW SIGN, WHO'S THIS?

Have you seen our shiny, newly-restored FSD facility sign? Many thanks to Jack with Powder Coating Specialties and the Griebel family for graciously donating their time and materials over the holidays to restore it.

A Sundae kind of love

On the outside, U.S. Army veteran Sima’s battle scars may not be visible. She lives a busy life as a mother of two toddlers, a dog mom, and a loving wife to her husband who is currently serving in the U.S Army as well. But below the surface, her service as an Army medic and member of the civil affairs team left lasting wounds, including PTSD and mobility challenges. Along with these challenges, Sima and her husband experienced additional heartbreak as they tried to grow their family.

Everything changed in June, 2024, when Sima was partnered with FSD Service Dog Sundae, who was custom-trained to mitigate Sima’s PTSD symptoms. Sima had always believed in the power of the human-animal bond, but she never expected how big of an impact Sundae would truly make in her life. Read the full story to learn more about Sima and Sundae’s inspiring story of hope and freedom.

Celebrating the new-and-improved FSD Nursery

Last fall, we announced an exciting construction project to improve our nursery play yards, including upgrading to a more advanced drainage system, leveling the yard, and replacing asphalt with concrete. In December, 2024, we proudly celebrated the project’s completion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of an anonymous donor, this makeover has made the nursery a cleaner and safer space for FSD puppies and mama dogs alike. We’re deeply grateful to everyone who contributed to this project’s success, especially the donors who made the project possible.

Now, we invite you to learn more about why the nursery is such a vital part of a Freedom Service Dog’s journey and how early socialization activities help FSD pups grow into confident, resilient everyday game changers.