Carissa’s Journey as a Shelter to Service Foster
“Volunteer foster training — it’s my favorite job that I don’t get paid for. I tell that to everybody.”.”
— Carissa, Joybound Volunteer Foster Trainer
When Carissa found herself between jobs, she felt a strong need to reconnect with a sense of purpose. While searching for opportunities to give back, she discovered Shelter to Service — Joybound’s special program that trains specially selected shelter dogs as psychiatric service animals and emotional support animals for individuals experiencing post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. Though Carissa wasn’t in a position to adopt a pet of her own, the opportunity to open her home to shelter animals on a journey toward becoming life-changing companions resonated with her. “I am definitely capable and willing to have dogs in my home that will help somebody else,” Carissa shares. “I mean, for somebody who really needs that calming energy or loving energy… it’s just heartwarming.”
Volunteer foster trainers play a critical role in the Shelter to Service program, both by assessing canine candidates aptitude for service work, and providing them with structured environments, socialization, and foundational skills before they are matched with program participants. For Carissa, stepping into this role offered a way to make a deep community impact while accommodating her personal health needs. “Coming to Joybound and being able to volunteer in a capacity that did not exacerbate my disability was really, really meaningful for me,” she explains. “It gave me purpose where I needed some purpose. It also happened to re-spark that interest in animal behavior as well.”
Today, Carissa enthusiastically advocates for the Shelter to Service fostering experience, finding immense fulfillment in watching each candidate blossom under her care before moving on to transform someone else’s life. “The Shelter to Service program, the volunteer foster training — it’s my favorite job that I don’t get paid for. I tell that to everybody,” she says. “I get to flex my amateur animal behavior skills and I get to have wonderful dogs in my home. I get to see them grow and I get to hear about their wonderful life journeys beyond what I’ve provided for them.” Through her dedication, Carissa is helping turn shelter animals into dedicated service partners, while acting as an inspirational example of how fostering creates a profound circle of healing for pets, fosters, and future handlers alike.
Watch Joybound’s video featurette on Carissa below:
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