- Chrysler brand‘s new social initiative in partnership with Canine Companions for Independence® and its “Give a Dog a Job” campaign will help raise awareness and support to provide assistance dogs for children, veterans and adults with disabilities
- Fans can follow Canine Companions puppy Foley, tracking his growth and learning about the overall training journey from puppy to fully trained assistance dog, across the brand’s social channels, in addition to Chrysler.com.
- Fans can engage with Canine Companions puppy Foley with the #RaisingFoley and #FoleyFriday hashtags on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram beginning Monday, March 13
- Chrysler brand and BraunAbility recently joined forces to design a wheelchair-accessible Chrysler Pacifica minivan, providing the largest interior space as well as the widest door opening and side-entry ramp in the industry
Press Release – March 13, 2017, Auburn Hills, Mich. – Chrysler brand is launching a new online social initiative in partnership with Canine Companions for Independence®, the largest non-profit organization for assistance dogs in the U.S. The initiative will help raise awareness and support for the training and placement of Canine Companions for Independence assistance dogs under the organization’s “Give a Dog a Job” campaign, a fundraising and awareness campaign that helps place them with adults, children and veterans with disabilities. Consumers will first meet Canine Companions puppy Foley, a Golden Retriever, Labrador cross (and the Chrysler brand’s first official PacifiPuppy!) on Monday, March 13, and follow him as he goes through his formal training with his recently assigned puppy raiser. Fans can engage with Foley with the #RaisingFoley and #FoleyFriday hashtags on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
“Through our partnership with Canine Companions for Independence, the Chrysler brand is able to help bring awareness to its ‘Give a Dog a Job’ program through our new online social initiative,” said Tim Kuniskis, Head of Passenger Cars, Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and FIAT, FCA North America. “As we follow Foley through his journey, fans will get a first-hand look at watching him grow and learn, from puppy training to becoming a fully trained assistance dog, and also gain an understanding of the huge amount of time and resources it takes to train these amazing dogs.”
“Our partnership with Chrysler Pacifica, BraunAbility and our ‘Give a Dog a Job’ campaign brings our mission, the stories of our remarkable graduates and the adventures of Canine Companions puppy Foley to a whole new audience across the country,” says Paul Mundell, CEO of Canine Companions for Independence. “We are deeply grateful for the commitment made to us by these two leaders in adapted vehicles. The upfitted Chrysler Pacifica provides greatly enhanced independence for people with disabilities, especially those who utilize wheelchairs.”
Fans will be able to follow Foley (named in honor of actor Scott Foley, an ardent supporter of Canine Companions for Independence) as he starts his path in life to being matched with a person with a disability, including:
- Getting acclimated to the puppy raiser’s home, including new sights and sounds
- Grooming, cradling, playing with feet, ignoring food on the ground
- Celebrating important days like #NationalPuppyDay (March 23), Veterans Day (November 11), and Canine Companions National Graduation Days (May 5, August 4 and November 3)
- Learning early commands, including “shake,” tracking his growth (against a growth chart in the all-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan)
- Adventures to the park and play dates with other Canine Companions puppies
- Visits to the vet and vaccinations
- First field trips and learning basic commands at puppy class
“Because of highly trained assistance dogs like my dog Mork, people like me are able to lead more full and independent lives,” said Wallis Brozman, Corporate Marketing Assistant, Canine Companions. “Mork was trained by Canine Companions’ professional instructors in 40 spoken commands and has since learned American Sign Language and approximately 15 new commands. This campaign is educating the public on the unique contributions our service dogs make in the lives of adults, children and veterans with disabilities. The program will also raise funds to allow us to place more exceptional dogs like Mork with people like myself. Without Mork’s help, I didn’t feel like I could safely leave my home. Mork is my independence on four legs.”
Under the “Give a Dog a Job” campaign, trained service dogs across the country are empowering wheelchair users daily by completing everyday activities, including getting in and out of their wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Hundreds are currently on the waitlist to receive a trained assistance dog, which is provided to a person with a disability free of charge. It takes two years to fully train a Canine Companions assistance dog, including six to nine months of professional training. To raise, train, place and support a certified assistance dog amounts to a $50,000 investment. Followers can donate at www.driveindependence.org. VIDEO
Chrysler brand and BraunAbility recently joined forces to design a wheelchair-accessible Chrysler Pacifica minivan providing the largest interior space as well as the widest door opening and side-entry ramp in the industry.
About Canine Companions for Independence
Canine Companions for Independence provides highly trained assistance dogs free of charge to children, adults and veterans with disabilities. Established in 1975, Canine Companions has trained more than 5,300 assistance dog teams, with six training centers across the country in Northern California, Southern California, Florida, New York, Ohio and Texas, and over 3,000 volunteers nationwide. Canine Companions is recognized worldwide for the excellence of its dogs, and the quality and longevity of the matches it makes between dogs and people. The result is a life full of increased independence and loving companionship. For more information, visit cci.org or call 1-800-572-BARK (2275).
About Chrysler Brand
The Chrysler brand has delighted customers with distinctive designs, craftsmanship, intuitive innovation and technology all at an extraordinary value since the company was founded in 1925.
Whether it is the family-room-on-wheels functionality of the all-new Chrysler Pacifica minivan, the groundbreaking, bold design of the Chrysler 300, or the simple elegance and extraordinary driving experience of the Chrysler 200, Chrysler brand vehicles reward the passion, creativity and sense of accomplishment of its owners. Beyond just exceptionally designed vehicles, the Chrysler brand has incorporated thoughtful features into all of its products, such as the innovative center console with pass through storage and sliding cup holders in the Chrysler 200, the industry-exclusive Stow ‘n Go seating and storage system on the Chrysler Pacifica and the fuel-saving Fuel Saver Technology in the Chrysler 300.
The Chrysler brand’s succession of innovative product introductions continues to solidify the brand’s standing as the leader in design, engineering and value. The premium for the Chrysler brand is in the product, not the price.
