Sparks City Councilmember Paul Anderson and his wife, Donna, are raising a puppy that will eventually become a service dog for a military veteran living with post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Andersons are volunteering as puppy raisers for Liberty Dogs, a service dog training and placement program run through the Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation, according to the City of Sparks.

The puppy will live with the Andersons while receiving early training and socialization before moving on to specialized service dog training.

His name carries real weight for the family.

Anderson named the puppy Parks in honor of Sparks Parks and Recreation Director Nancy O’Connor, who died unexpectedly before she and Anderson could raise a dog together as originally planned.

“Nancy and I were supposed to help raise Parks together, so losing her before we had that opportunity has been incredibly difficult,” Anderson said.

“Donna and I knew we still wanted to follow through with naming him. Parks just felt right,” he said.

Anderson said O’Connor’s years of service to the Sparks community also shaped the decision to keep the name.

We’ve followed Liberty Dogs closely this month, including its inaugural leash passing ceremony at its new 27-acre South Reno campus, where veterans were formally paired with dogs that completed the program.

Volunteer puppy raisers like the Andersons handle the earliest stage of that pipeline, giving dogs basic training and everyday exposure before they advance toward matching with a veteran.

Retired Maj. Gen. Ondra L. Berry, Liberty Dogs’ CEO, thanked the Andersons and the City of Sparks for supporting the program.

Anderson acknowledged the eventual goodbye will be difficult once Parks completes his training.

“It won’t be easy to say goodbye when the time comes, but knowing he could change a veteran’s life makes it worth it,” Anderson said.

Nevadans interested in becoming a puppy raiser or supporting Liberty Dogs can find volunteer information through the organization directly.