Project POOCH

Mission

Provide life-changing opportunities for adjudicated youth and shelter dogs 🐶. Youth develop responsibility, patience, and compassion as they learn to train dogs, manage a kennel, and help dogs find their forever homes while building job and life skills.

Bottom Line for Portland

✅ We provide opportunities for youth in corrections to develop the personal and vocational skills needed to become responsible and productive members within their current environment and upon rejoining their community. 

✅ We work with dogs of all shapes and sizes, from 5lbs to 105lbs, and youth with a variety of backgrounds. We do not discriminate against any dog breeds or any youth—we believe in people's ability to grow and change, with animals by their side. 💕

✅ Project POOCH youth are paired with dogs to learn kennel management, positive reinforcement training, and basic grooming techniques. The youth learn what it means to be depended on by another living creature and how it feels to be trusted and relied upon. The dogs get trained 🦮, loved ❤️, and adopted into their forever homes. Each dog and each youth are unique, and we tailor our program to meet their needs and help them thrive. There is no limit to the amount of time a dog spends in our care.

✅ At Project POOCH, youth participants discover a sense of purpose and value 😊. They build (or rebuild) their confidence and their dog’s confidence through dedication, training their dogs, and mentoring their fellow participants. The youth learn that they can come out of youth corrections and not just rejoin society but add value to their communities. 

Quote

“I didn't know what it was like to care for anyone, not even myself, before I started working at Project POOCH. And now, when I show up at the kennel and the dogs greet me in the morning, I know that they depend on me to clean up their kennels, to walk them, and to love them. I feel like I am helping them become better dogs and they are helping me become a better person.”  -Project POOCH Youth

Incentives

All donations come with an incentive of wonderful karma!

🎁 $25 or more will receive a sticker from Rogue Ales and Project POOCH. If you choose to attend our Santa Paws Party at Rogue Eastside Pub & Pilot Brewery on November 29 or Rogue's Salem Pub on November 30, you will receive digital photos with Santa and have the option for two print photos (you can bring your pup for photos or have your photo taken with friends/family).

🎁 $60 or more will receive a $15 gift card to Rogue Ales locations, good for food/drink of your choice, plus the $25-level incentive, the Rogue & POOCH stickers, and Santa Paws photos.

🎁 $100 or more will receive a Project POOCH sticker pack and the incentives of the $25- and $50-levels, the $15 gift card to Rogue Ales, the Rogue & POOCH stickers, and the Santa Paws photos.

🎁 $150 or more will receive a zippered canvas tote bag with the POOCH logo of the $25- and $50-levels, and $100-levels the $15 gift card to Rogue Ales, the Rogue & POOCH stickers, the Santa Paws photos, and the Project POOCH sticker pack.

🎁 The first 10 donations of $250+ in November will receive our BRAND NEW charcoal grey hoody. These have not even been released to the public yet! (we will send you an email for size. Will ship in mid-December. You can also arrange for pickup)

🎁  The first 10 donations of $250+ in December will receive our BRAND NEW charcoal grey pullover hoody. These have not been released to the public yet! (we will send you an email for size. Will ship in mid- to late-December. You can also arrange for pickup 

Partner(s)

🍺 Rogue Ales has been a long-time partner of Project POOCH. They are engaged as donors and are represented on our Board of Directors. They generously partner with POOCH to host events for POOCH adopters and all Oregon dog owners, raising awareness and funds for Project POOCH. Upcoming event at Rogue Eastside: Santa Paws, November 29 (Portland) & 30 (Salem). Learn more at pooch.org/events

🐱 Animal Aid is a nonprofit partner that shares our dedication to serving the animals of the Portland Metro area. We are partnering on our annual event, Drag Queen Bingo with Poison Waters at Brooklyn Carreta (new location!) on November 19. Get tickets.

⚖️ Oregon Justice Resource Center is a nonprofit partner that shares our commitment to juvenile justice through its Youth Justice Project. Upcoming event with OJRC—Chorale for a Cause: A singalong fundraiser with the Low Bar Chorale at Mississippi Studios on November 25. Get tickets.