Turning retirement into tail wags
Volunteers Kitty Griffin and Marge Howard with ICAN Indy.
More than 20 years ago, Kitty Griffin had no idea that a routine day working at the bank would spark something that would one day become deeply meaningful. While she was on the job, a regular customer often stopped in with a service dog in training that belonged to a small but growing nonprofit.
That organization was the Indiana Canine Assistant Network (ICAN), and years later, that moment came full circle when she and Marge Howard began looking for a meaningful way to stay connected to dogs.
After the loss of their beloved pet, Kitty and Marge knew they wanted dogs in their lives again, but they weren’t ready for the full-time commitment of another pet dog. Both newly retired and eager to travel, they returned to the idea of volunteering with ICAN and soon stepped into the roles of both furloughers and puppy raisers.
Kitty working with ICAN TD at a puppy raising class.
As Kitty explained, “We get a dog for three weeks, and once the dog leaves, we can choose to get another one or we can take a break. We love the flexibility.”
Their rural home offers a one-of-a-kind experience for the dogs they furlough, and the puppies they raise. With cornfields nearby and sheep, cows, and chickens across the road, each dog is introduced to a wide range of sights and sounds.
“We live in the middle of nowhere,” Marge said. “No sidewalks, no other dogs. So, our house is a quiet place for ICAN dogs to land.”
Marge with ICAN Indy at a puppy raising class.
Since getting involved, Kitty and Marge have raised four puppies and furloughed many more service dogs in training. Some of their puppies have even been related, giving them the unique opportunity to notice shared traits and personalities across litters.
As they’ve gained experience, the two have developed the perfect puppy-raising routine: Kitty is an early riser, while Marge stays up late, so they split puppy responsibilities into morning and night shifts.
One of their favorite memories was hosting a big group playdate with several puppies from the same litter as the one they were raising. The dogs spent an hour and a half romping around the backyard, playing and exploring together.
Marge and Kitty’s Litter Playdate. From left to right: Iris, Benny (who Marge and Kitty furloughed), V, and Oak.
Although many people wonder if it’s difficult to return the puppies to one of the correctional facilities at the end of puppy raising, Kitty says the opposite is often true.
“The dogs are always eager to get to the front door of the correctional facilities,” she said with a laugh. “It reminds me of a little kid on their first day of school. It’s fun to see the dogs so excited to go back to their incarcerated handler.”
Every dog Marge and Kitty have worked with holds a special place in their hearts. Their refrigerator tells the story best—covered in custom magnets featuring the name and photo of each dog they’ve worked with, a small reminder of the role they’ve played in something much bigger. Each puppy they raise and every dog they furlough moves one step closer to supporting a Hoosier in need.
Kitty and Marge’s refrigerator with all their past ICAN dogs.
If you’d like to help unleash possibilities like Marge and Kitty, contact ICAN Volunteer and Education Manager Julie Mathias at juliem@icandog.org.
