'We fulfill a significant gap': Dogs with Wings named charity of choice by Edmonton mall

Service dog charity raising funds at Londonderry Mall Dogs with Wings has partnered with Londonderry Mall to raise money so it can continue to provide service animals to those in need.

EDMONTON — For the rest of the year Dogs with Wings has been named the charity of choice at Londonderry Mall.

The organization has been a part of the Edmonton community for 25 years. It trains service dogs and matches them with residents and social services agencies that need them.

“We know that it’s going to make such a difference in people’s lives,” Miranda Jordan-Smith, the chief executive director for Dogs with Wings, said.

According to Jordan-Smith, the partnership with the mall is something they “truly need.”

“We are a charity reliant on the good will of the community."

There are four programs offered at Dogs with Wings which include service dogs, autism service dogs, facility dogs and companions.

“We fulfill a significant gap in the community,” Jordan-Smith said. “The demand for service dogs completely outweighs the supply that we currently have.”

According to Jordan-Smith, the partnership with the mall will allow the charity to educate the community on what they do and help to recruit more volunteers.

“For people that are able bodied or not vulnerable in the community it’s something we take for granted,” she explained. “We see the tangible results of the work that we do every day, we know that the work we do transforms lives and we know that we have a profound and lasting impact with those that we serve.”

Dogs with Wings will have a station in the mall until around Christmas and intends to host multiple events during that time.

For more information on how to access their services, donate or volunteer head to their website.