Family, four paws, and a passion for giving back

Volunteer Olivia Narde with ICAN Marshall.

Olivia Narde’s journey with service dogs began with a lifelong love of animals. Over the years, she volunteered at animal shelters and with various service dog organizations. But it was with the Indiana Canine Assistant Network (ICAN) that Olivia truly found her calling.

In 2023, Olivia began helping with ICAN outreach events and serving as a litter sitter—a role in which trained volunteers support early socialization for puppies between four and eight weeks old. Many litter hosts encouraged Olivia to bring her children, ages five, eight, and eleven, along to her volunteer assignments.

“I was really excited about that because at this age, it’s so important for the puppies to be exposed to new things,” she said. “And my kids were thrilled, too. It was a great way to start teaching them how to interact with dogs safely, especially service dogs.”

‍The experience quickly deepened Olivia’s interest in the program.

Olivia with ICAN Marshall and her daughter.

“I was so eager to keep getting involved,” she said. “I was fascinated by these dogs and the incredible things they could do.”

As her commitment grew, Olivia began furloughing service dogs in training, bringing them into her home for three weeks at a time to practice the skills they learn with incarcerated handlers through ICAN’s prison training program. She has now furloughed six dogs and also puppy raised a yellow Labrador named Marshall, helping him build foundational skills like crate training, potty training, and overall confidence.

One of Olivia’s favorite memories was seeing Marshall again after he completed his first four weeks of training with his incarcerated handler at Pendleton Correctional Facility.

Olivia and ICAN Marshall on WISH-TV to promote ICAN’s Valentine’s Day fundraiser.

That moment became even more meaningful when Marshall was sponsored by Harwell Gray Criminal Defense, the firm behind ICAN’s 2026 Puppy Love Valentine’s fundraiser. Olivia even appeared on the news four times with Marshall to promote the fundraiser.

“I don’t know that I could’ve done that alone,” Olivia shared. “It definitely helped to have Marshall to bring me out of my comfort zone.”

While she wouldn’t consider herself shy, Olivia recognized that Marshall helped her feel more confident in public settings. For her, it was a reminder that the bond between humans and dogs isn’t just meaningful for the recipients of service dogs—it’s transformative for volunteers too.

ICAN Marshall and Olivia’s children.

For Olivia, volunteering with ICAN has been the perfect fit for her family’s lifestyle.

“I could spend all day with my kids, but I also wanted something that was my own,” she said. “ICAN is perfect for that. The dogs can come along on our family outings, but if life gets busy, the dog can stay home and practice quiet crate time.”

Through ICAN, Olivia has found purpose and connection—not just with dogs, but with a community of people who share her passion for helping others. Her experience is a powerful reminder that behind every ICAN service dog team is a group of dedicated volunteers making a life-changing impact every day.

If you’d like to help unleash possibilities like Olivia, contact ICAN Volunteer and Education Manager Julie Mathias at juliem@icandog.org.