A new club at Carroll College is raising puppies to be service dogs for those in need.
The Collar Scholars club was started by two anthrozoology students in November. Seniors Ashley Wilt and Alyson Galow both have a history of raising puppies, which led them to pursue careers related to animal behavior and interactions with humans.
Ashley Wilt poses with Canine Companions puppy Phil. Photo Courtesy of Ashley Wilt Puppy raisers are kind of attracted to each other, Wilt said.
The club teamed up with nationwide nonprofit Canine Companions for Independence, which puts the dogs through professional training and places them with disabled individuals in need. Wilt said these dogs are typically valued at around $50,000 but are placed freely by Canine Companions.