We named the fifth pup Regis, took this tie picture and sent the letter below to the "Live with Regis and Katy Lee Show"...... on 8/11/00 Regis Philbin showed the picture and read part of the letter on national TV ... our 8 seconds of fame. Unfortunately the name Regis was already taken at CCI so the pup was named Raj..... but he'll always be a little bit Regis to us that know....
Hey Regis don't I look like a Million!!!!
I am a puppy in training for Canine Companions for Independence (CCI). This means that after two years of training, if I qualify, I will become an assistance dog for a person with a disability. CCI is a national nonprofit organization with headquarters in Santa Rosa, CA but puppy raisers and graduates live all over the United. States. The late Charles Schulz was a major supporter and National Headquarters is named the Schulz Campus in his honor. Highly trained Assistance Dogs can be given free to people with disabilities because of the generosity of thousands of people all over the country who support CCI with donations of time and/or money.
Our motto is "Some people wait a lifetime for a miracle…. We raise them one at a time." I'm going to be one of those miracles… you just wait and see!
I currently live with my fur Mom Faith and my people Mom Joyce in Santa Clara, CA. Joyce is a Breeder Caretaker for CCI which means a CCI female breeder dog (my Mom Faith) lives with her, she births the CCI puppies and keeps them for the first eight weeks of their lives. When a litter is born she calls CCI and asks what letter it will be. Then all the pups are given names beginning with that letter. I was still very young when she learned our letter was going to be "R", but I will never forget her screaming, " I can name one Regis, I can name one Regis" and that's how my life as Regis began….
Soon I will leave my fur Mom and my people Mom to go to live with a Puppy Raiser who will train, love and socialize me until I'm old enough to go to advanced training and eventually be trained with the person I will be assisting. My Puppy Raiser could live in any part of the United States. I'm waiting to find out what adventures lie before me. I intend to keep you updated through my two years of training, I promise to do our name honor.
I've enclosed my photo as well as a photo of my brothers and sisters Raza, Rani, Rhetta, Roo and Ruby V. I don't want to be brag but aren't we cute???!!! We would be so tickled if you would show my/our picture and mention our names and CCI on NATIONAL TV. You wouldn't believe how much trouble my people Mom went through to get this picture. She didn't even have a tie, didn't know how to tie a tie! I tried to help by running toward the camera, you get the picture….….
Licks and Wags,
Regis
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