That special someone in your life will be howling with delight this Valentine’s Day when a cute and cuddly Indiana Canine Assistant Network (ICAN) service dog or puppy in training delivers them a Puppy Love Valentine. 

Marc Pellissier, board member, ICAN Indiana Canine Assistant Network and an ICAN dog named Reba joined us today to share more about their program and this 10th annual tradition.

ICAN is the only accredited service dog training program based in Indiana, where state prison inmates train service dogs to meet the specific needs of their recipients. Clients with various physical or emotional disabilities – from mobility assistance to diabetic alert to mobility/PTSD assistance for Veterans to Facility Dogs – can receive an ICAN service dog to assist them and enhance their daily lives. 

For the 10th straight year through Puppy Love Valentines, ICAN offers the opportunity for one of its dogs or puppies in training (escorted by a human volunteer) to deliver a decorated tote full of unique gifts to someone in the Indianapolis or Bloomington area. Deliveries to homes will take place on Saturday, February 12 and to both businesses and homes on Monday, February 14. Individuals also can have their Valentine gift shipped to anywhere in the U.S.

The gift bag and delivery are $60 and include a variety of tasty Valentine’s goodies such as chocolates, candy, gourmet popcorn, ICAN greeting cards featuring puppies in training, an 8-by-8-inch dog art canvas individually created by an artistic ICAN pup, and much more. Best of all, it includes the chance for the recipient to love and nuzzle with the dog or puppy making the delivery. 

New this year is the option to purchase a Premium Valentine Gift bag. The premium gift bag and delivery are $99 and include chocolates, a special 15 oz puppy mug, homemade caramels, and more! There are a limited number of Premium Valentine Gift bags available. 

Proceeds from Puppy Love Valentine’s benefit ICAN’s operational and training costs. In addition to inspiring positive life changes for the recipients of ICAN service dogs, the program helps provide foundational life skills to the inmates, who train the dogs and successful re-entry to the community upon release. 

Jillian Ashton, president of ICAN, says “ICAN started its current program 20 years ago on February 14, 2002, when we delivered three puppies to the Rockville Correctional Facility prison for service dog training. These were the very first dogs in our program, so Puppy Love Valentine’s is a fun way to celebrate a very special holiday with the community.”  

Puppy Love Valentine deliveries and shipping orders must be made by the end of the day on Monday, Feb. 7. Deliveries are limited to within a 25-mile radius of Monument Circle in Indianapolis or in Bloomington through the ICAN at Indiana University students. Deliveries are done within a four-hour time slot designated when the order is submitted. 

Puppy Love Valentine gift bags may also be ordered for pickup at ICAN’s office at 5100 Charles Court, Suite 100 in Zionsville on Saturday, February 12, and Monday, February 14. 

ICAN Puppy Love Valentine’s would not be possible without the generous support of its sponsors for 2022, which include: Presenting Sponsor, KassieKares, Bright Ideas in Broad Ripple, Endangered Species Chocolate, CoasterStone, DeBrand Fine Chocolates in Indianapolis, Taylor’s Bakery, Three Dog Bakery, Liz Kaye Photography, La D Da Gourmet Popcorn, Indiana Order of the Eastern Star Service Dog Project, Nashville Fudge Kitchen, Beulah’s Candyland, The Middaugh Family, Pendleton Correctional Facility, Indiana Women’s Prison and Correctional Industrial Facility. 

For more information and to purchase a Valentine gift bag visit, icandog.org. 

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