Deloitte’s Puppy with a Purpose

Meet Kevin

Deloitte is excited to welcome Kevin, our second Corporate Puppy with a Purpose sponsored through America’s VetDogs (AVD). Kevin is a male black Labrador Retriever receiving specialized post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) training so that he can one day provide life-changing service-dog
support to a Veteran or first responder.

For 12–16 months, Kevin will be raised by Deb Golden, Deloitte’s US Cyber & Strategic Risk leader. Kevin is the fourth consecutive service dog, including both dogs in Deloitte’s Corporate Puppy with a Purpose program, that Deb has volunteered to raise. Her role—for which no two days are ever alike—allows her to provide a specialized training experience for Kevin as they travel across the country to different offices and client locations. In his role as “Chief Pawsitivity Officer,” Kevin provides the “bark” to jump-start conversations about the importance of effecting positive change regarding issues of disability, inclusion, and accessibility.

Specialized training for a special pup

Kevin is working to become a PTSD service dog and will learn more than 80 commands to assist his future handler. Through his training, Kevin will learn how to interrupt nightmares, provide deep pressure therapy, alert others to a seizure, open and close cabinets and doors, seek help in the event of an emergency, and more. Upon the successful completion of his training, Kevin will be matched to his #foreverperson based on the capabilities, lifestyle, mobility, personality, and physical and psychological needs of the individual. 

Due to the training program’s rigor, each puppy in training has a 50 percent chance of graduating in a specific “career,” or specialization, including guide dog, hearing dog, seizure response dog, autism dog, or another form of assistance dog. It costs in excess of $50,000 to breed, raise, train, and place one assistance dog; however, thanks to the generosity of individuals, corporations, foundations, businesses, and community organizations, all of AVD’s services are provided at no charge to service dog recipients.

Puppy meets purpose

Deloitte is proud to help empower Veterans and individuals with disabilities with the support systems they need to live with confidence, independence, and companionship. We’re grateful for our ongoing work with AVD and the greater awareness it allows us to bring to the importance of service dogs, the challenges disabled Veterans and individuals face, and the need for greater consciousness and empathy around improved accessibility. 

Deloitte employs more than 1,000 Veterans, former members of the Armed Forces, and their spouses and in 2022 was named a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion for the fifth year in a row. Through continued advocacy, including our Train to Hire and Autism@Work initiatives, we’re committed to providing an accessible, welcoming workplace to all individuals with disabilities. 

About America’s VetDogs 

AVD is a 501(c)(3) charity created to provide enhanced mobility and renewed independence to United States Veterans, active-duty service members, and first responders with physical injuries, PTSD, hearing and vision loss, and seizures. In 2013, America's VetDogs became the second assistance dog school in the United States to be accredited by the International Guide Dog Federation and Assistance Dogs International; the Guide Dog Foundation was the first.

Deloitte’s Corporate Puppy with a Purpose

Through Deloitte’s continued sponsorship of America’s VetDogs Corporate Puppy with a Purpose program, Deloitte is helping make it possible for a Veteran or first responder to receive a service dog – ultimately enabling that person to live with greater accessibility and independence.

See Kevin’s and Deb’s progress

Stay up to date on Kevin’s training progress, and see AVD’s mission in action—helping those who have served honorably live with dignity and independence in action.

On Instagram:

@kevinservicepup

@americasvetdogs

Follow Deb on LinkedIn

Keep up with Kevin’s volunteer trainer (aka “puppy raiser”) and US Cyber & Strategic Risk leader for Deloitte Risk & Financial Advisory Deborah Golden.

See what Deloitte US is up to and join the conversation.