Little Sniffers
Puppy Foster Program
Help DFC raise, train, and support future ESD K9 pups!
Raise a Puppy. Raise a Hero. Protect a Child.
What if you could help raise a puppy that will one day help protect children?
Little Sniffers is a new program from Defenders For Children designed to develop the next generation of highly trained Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9s. From playful puppyhood to a life of service alongside law enforcement, each Little Sniffer begins its journey with a volunteer Puppy Raiser Family.
Our puppies are carefully selected from reputable Labrador Retriever and Golden Retriever breeders and placed with approved foster families for approximately 14–16 months. During this critical developmental period, Puppy Raisers provide a safe, loving home while helping their Little Sniffer learn basic obedience, confidence, manners, socialization, and positive experiences with people, places, sounds, and environments.
From Puppy to Protector
After completing the Puppy Raiser phase, each Little Sniffer moves on to professional advanced training with Jordan Detection K9, where they are scent-trained to become Electronic Storage Detection K9s. Once training is complete, these highly specialized dogs can be matched with law enforcement agencies across the country to help locate hidden electronic devices and critical digital evidence.
Little Sniffers is more than a puppy-raising program. It is a pipeline for future K9 heroes—and an opportunity for the community to play a direct role in protecting children.
Meet Our First Little Sniffer
These adorable pups represent the beginning of something much bigger: A new generation of K9 heroes raised by a community
committed to protecting children
Golden Retriever
Sully, a Golden Retriever puppy, is being fostered by Margaret-Ann Carter, a Defenders For Children Board Member and morning anchor at FOX Carolina News.
Sully was lovingly named after the beloved main character from the movie Monsters, Inc., who learns that protecting children and helping them feel safe is far more important than anything else. His name reflects the mission he is preparing to undertake: becoming a working K9 dedicated to helping protect children.
English Labrador
Layla, an English Labrador Retriever puppy, is being fostered by Dania Manasra, a Deputy with the Uniform Patrol Division of the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office.
name means “night” and “dark beauty” in Arabic. While Layla herself is anything but dark, her mission will be to stop the darkness and bring light—helping law enforcement uncover hidden electronic evidence and protect children from abuse, exploitation, and trafficking.
How You Can Help Raise A Future Hero
Little Sniffers depends on dedicated people and organizations
who believe that protecting children starts with taking action
Become a
Puppy Raiser
Open your home and heart to a Little Sniffer for approximately 14–16 months and help provide the foundation for a future law enforcement K9.
Sponsor a
Little Sniffer
Your financial support helps provide puppy acquisition, veterinary care, vaccinations, food, training supplies, transportation, and other essential program expenses.
Donate Supplies
or Services
Food, crates, beds, leashes, harnesses, toys, grooming, veterinary services, and other in-kind contributions help keep our puppies healthy, happy, and prepared for their future.
Follow Their Journey
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