Since our beginning, Canine Inspired Change has trained over 1,000 dogs—from playful puppies to compassionate therapy dogs bringing comfort, connection, and joy to our community.
Now, these dogs are on a mission to raise $30,000 to bring their healing power to even more people!
Whether your dog is a CIC alum, volunteered beside you, crossed the rainbow bridge or simply improved your life - every dog has a place in our Pup2Pup Fundraiser!
It's easy! Pick a category, create your pup's fundraising page, rally your friends, and compete for paw-some prizes!
Every dog has the potential to make a difference. Every human partner has the opportunity to help them do it.
So, ask your dog: Are you ready to join?
Instructions & Getting Started
How it works:
Create your fundraising page to raise money and win a prize!
Select a category to compete in. To win your selected category, you will have to raise more than all other participants!
Choose to compete:
Start a team - meaning you'll be the team leader competing to win, ask your friends, family & coworkers to join your team and fundraise for you!
Join a team - meaning you're supporting a team leader to help them win their category!
Write in your fundraising goal! Remember - you'll win accolades for reaching or exceeding your goal, but you can fundraise beyond your goal to win your category!
Submit your details & make an optional gift to kick-start your goal!
Customize your page! Upload photos, write a story, add a video & more! You can customize your page as much or as little as you would like, just remember, the pictures, stories and videos are what will set you apart from your fellow competitors!
Fundraise!! Your page will guide you through collecting donations, adding team members & more!
Don't want to be a part of the competition but want to make a donation? Click here and select "donate"!
Getting Registered:
Editing Your Team Page:
Using Program Tools:
Our Total Goal:
Categories:
Best Volunteering Story: Share a favorite volunteering memory! Tell us about a memorable visit with your dog, a special moment from your time in the field, or what inspires your dedication to CIC. Note: Please exclude names/identifying information of participants you've interacted with.
Cats and Critters: Think your cat, guinea pig, or parrot are up to a fundraising challenge? Can they compete just as well as the dogs?! You tell us.
Cutest Pup: Cutest Pup wins the category!! Show us those heart-stopping puppy dog eyes!
Dynamic Duo: Your dog is everything to you, right?! Share that paw-fect photo of you & your pup, your pup & their bff, or your pup & their fav family member; and tell us why they deserve most dynamic duo at CIC!
Look-A-Like Contest: Does your pup share a striking resemblance, a signature expression, or the pure star power of a well-known celebrity, historical figure, or fictional character? Share a photo of your dog and their look-a-like!
Most Inspirational Story: Whether it was your dog's natural healing instinct, a personal journey, or something else that led you to CIC, this is your time to share you & your dog's story that will inspire the community.
Rainbow Bridge Legacy: Honor a lasting legacy. This category is dedicated to the incredible dogs who are no longer with us but whose impact is still felt every day.
FAQ
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Click here to learn more about how to create your fundraising page!
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No! Everyone can participate! Pick a category that fits you best and create your page!
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Create a team if you want to win one of the paw-some prizes!
Join a team if you want to support a fellow friend, family member, or dog!
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If you are joining someone’s team, choose the “Team Member” category. After that, you will be asked to join a team!
If you select a different category, then join someone’s team, you will not be eligible to compete and win. Joining a team means you are supporting your team leader.
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Unfortunately not! Whether you join a team or make a team you can only create one fundraising page. However you can vote for multiple individuals by donating to each of their pages.
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You may change your category as long as you have not raised any money from other donors. To change, you must contact CIC directly. Email: quinn@canineinspiredchange.org
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There will be a winner for each of the 6 categories. The winner of each category is determined by the most donations raised as an individual or a team leader.
Winners will choose their prizes from a pool, first person to choose is who fundraised the most of all the categories.
Prizes include a custom charcoal portrait by Mark Stary, gift certificates for CIC merch or training classes, a mini photography session from K Schulz Photography, a grooming services gift certificate and basket from Maverick Grooming Studio, gift cards & more!
The competition voting ends 11/30/26 at 11:59pm.
Winners will be announced on 12/1/2026 before 6:00pm.
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No! You only need to make a page if you are trying to win a category OR wanting to fundraise for a fellow team leader.
When donating, you can donate to an individual, a team, or the overall cause! Click here to donate now:
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To vote for a particular person, you need to donate to their campaign! To find their page, follow this link and type their name in the donation search bar!
Or you can scan the categories(make link) below and find their direct donation link!
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Absolutely! You can make multiple donations and vote for all your favorites!
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Email: quinn@canineinspiredchange.org and they will help you!
Donate to Vote!
Our participants have each joined a category to compete against their fellow friends and neighbors! The categories are listed below, click the button to view the category description and see the contenders! Donate to your favorite campaigns to cast your “vote” and help them win from a pool of paw-some prizes!
Share a favorite volunteering memory! Tell us about a memorable visit with your dog, a special moment from your time in the field, or what inspires your dedication to CIC.
Note: Please exclude names/identifying information of participants you've interacted with.
Best Volunteering Story Competition
Team Stevie Nicks with special guests Sapphire & Sukhi
Team Captain: Danielle Graczyk
Danielle’s Best Volunteering story coming soon!
Think your cat, guinea pig, or parrot are up to a fundraising challenge? Can they compete just as well as the dogs?! You tell us.
Cats and Critters
Your cats and critters will go here!
Cutest Pup Competition
Share a photo of your Cute Pup. Show us those heart-stopping puppy dog eyes!
Team Dory
Team Captain: Taylor Iverson
Cutest Pup: If you know Dory you probably know about Canine Inspired Change! And if you know Dory, you PROBABLY ALREADY THINK SHE'S THE CUTEST DOG EVER, RIGHT?! Well now is time for you to act on those thoughts! Just LOOK at these pictures over the last 6.5 years.
Team Filius
Team Captain: Alyssa Boldischar
Cutest Pup: Filius may be little, but he has a BIG heart and so much love to give! As a Canine Inspired Change (CIC) therapy dog, Filius spends his time visiting hospice patients throughout the Twin Cities, bringing comfort, companionship, and plenty of smiles to those who need it most.
Whether he's snuggling up with someone, offering a little extra love, or simply being his sweet self, Filius has a special way of making meaningful connections. He's a little dog making a big difference, one visit at a time! ❤️
Dynamic Duo Competition
Your dog is everything to you, right?! Share that paw-fect photo of you & your pup, your pup & their bff, or your pup & their fav family member; and tell us why they deserve most dynamic duo at CIC!
Team Frisky
Team Captain: Quinn Talbott
Dynamic Duo: Frisky has been by my side through so many of life’s biggest milestones, from high school and college to building my career at CIC. Through every move, transition, and new chapter, he has been my constant source of comfort and support. No matter how much life changes, I know I can always count on his unconditional love and the excitement of coming home to him every day. Wherever life takes me next, I know Frisky will be happy to follow, and I feel so lucky to have him by my side through it all. - Quinn
Team Shelby & Eleanor Ruffavelt
Team Captain: Pam Bednar
Dynamic Duo: Team Shelby & Eleanor Ruffavelt’s story will go here!
Team Orla, Lexie and special guest Dakota
Team Captain: Nancy Galligan
Dynamic Duo: Team Orla & Lexie, or perhaps, Terrific Trio adding in their sister Dakota!
Look-a-like Contest
Does your pup share a striking resemblance, a signature expression, or the pure star power of a well-known celebrity, historical figure, or fictional character? Share a photo of your dog and their look-a-like!
Your Look a Like will go here!
Most Inspirational Story Competition
Whether it was your dog's natural healing instinct, a personal journey, or something else that led you to CIC, this is your time to share you & your dog's story that will inspire the community.
Team Oliver
Team Captain: Julie Baker
Most Inspirational Story: After retiring from teaching urban elementary school for 35 years, finding Canine Inspired Change has been a dream transition for Team Oliver! With C.I.C.'s trauma-informed approach, Team Oliver has the perfect outlet for all of the love, skills and care we have yet to share, in our community.
Rainbow Bridge Legacy Category
Honor a lasting legacy. This category is dedicated to the incredible dogs who are no longer with us but whose impact is still felt every day.
Team Millie
Team Captain: Kate McMullen
Team Cody
Team Captain: Sydney Neal
Sponsors
Thank you to our sponsors & friends supporting CIC! Want to become a sponsor? Email Danielle@canineinspiredchange.org!
Contact Information
Have questions that aren’t answered above?
Email: Taylor@canineinspiredchange.org
Call/Text: (651) 243-2110
Contributions benefit Canine Inspired Change, Saint Paul, MN. EIN: 46-0972575. Donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.