Service Dogs Bring Smiles to New England Revolution Practice

The New England Revolution welcomed some special four-legged guests to practice recently as NEADS Ambassador Dogs Gordie, Chelsea, Turner, and Logan spent quality time with players while helping raise awareness for mental health and service dog programs across New England.

NEADS Ambassador Dogs Visit Revolution Practice

The partnership between NEADS and the Revolution extends far beyond the training field. The organization has also participated in several team events focused on community outreach and mental health awareness.

How NEADS and the Revs Partnered Together

Aubrey Henderson, CEO of NEADS, worked alongside Revolution President Brian Bilello to bring the pups to the club’s Mental Health and Wellness Match.

The collaboration also included a special “Name a Puppy” campaign where fans voted to name a NEADS Service Dog in Training “Turner” after former Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner.

Together, NEADS and the Revolution have increased awareness of both the Revolution’s focus on mental health and the organization’s work providing service dogs to clients living with mental health disabilities.

Players Welcome the Service Dogs

"The players were very welcoming and clearly enjoyed having the dogs at their practice. I even overheard a few of them mention that they wished they could have dogs at practice every day," Henderson said.

NEADS Continues Expanding Service Dog Awareness

"We visit many organizations and businesses for different reasons, but primarily for education about Service Dogs, about the different NEADS Service Dog programs (Service Dogs for people with hearing loss, physical disabilities, children with autism, veterans with PTSD), and our need for volunteer Puppy Raisers," Henderson added.

Programs include service dogs for people with hearing loss, physical disabilities, children with autism, and veterans living with PTSD.

NEADS also provides training on appropriate service dog behavior, the rights and responsibilities of service dog teams, and how businesses can properly accommodate service dog access.

Hands down, the staff at NEADS loves what they do. It takes two whole years to get these pups up to snuff, but the hard work is worth it.

The impact the dogs have not only on their clients, but also on those who are involved in the training process along the way is life-changing.

Organizations Supporting the NEADS Mission

Other organizations that have partnered with NEADS include the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Duck Tours, TD Garden, the Boston Public Library, and UMass Memorial – Harrington.