City of Sparks
SPARKS, Nevada — Sparks City Councilmember Paul Anderson and his wife, Donna, have welcomed a new member into their home — Parks, a puppy they will raise to one day become a Service Dog for a local Veteran through Liberty Dogs.
Liberty Dogs, a flagship initiative of the Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation, is a national Veteran Service Dog training and placement program dedicated to serving U.S. military Veterans living with PTSD. The organization helps prepare Service Dogs to support Veterans in gaining greater independence and confidence in their daily lives. Many Liberty Service Dogs begin their journey in volunteer puppy raiser homes, where they receive early training, socialization and care before advancing to specialized Service Dog training.
The Andersons are serving as volunteer puppy raisers for Liberty Dogs, helping Parks build the foundation he will need before moving on to the next phase of his training. Puppy raisers provide a safe and loving home while helping future Service Dogs learn basic skills, good manners and how to confidently navigate everyday environments.
For Councilmember Anderson, raising Parks carries special meaning. He had planned to share the experience with Sparks Parks and Recreation Director Nancy O’Connor, who passed away unexpectedly before they could begin the journey together.
“Nancy and I were supposed to help raise Parks together, so losing her before we had that opportunity has been incredibly difficult,” Councilmember Anderson said. “Donna and I knew we still wanted to follow through with naming him. Parks just felt right. Nancy gave so much to our community, and I think she would love knowing this little guy is being raised to someday make a real difference in a Veteran’s life.”
For the Andersons, that means Parks will join them in everyday activities and experiences as he learns the skills expected of a future Service Dog.
“We know our job is to give Parks a great start and prepare him for the important work ahead,” Councilmember Anderson said. “It won’t be easy to say goodbye when the time comes, but knowing he could change a Veteran’s life makes it worth it.”
“Community support is the heartbeat of our mission, and we are deeply grateful to Nancy, Paul, and the City of Sparks for embracing Liberty Dogs so warmly,” said Major General Ondra L. Berry (Ret.), CEO of Liberty Dogs. “Seeing leaders like Paul and Donna step up to open their hearts and home as puppy raisers for Parks perfectly illustrates the spirit of this region. It is only through dedicated partners like the City of Sparks that we can carry out our work, and the lasting impact our community is making will directly restore independence, confidence, and freedom to our nation’s Veterans.”
