Needham Police Working Dogs Foundation

04/06/2026

The Needham Police Working Dogs Foundation is proud to support our four-legged officers, Rocket and Ghost.

As a 100% donation-funded organization, we rely entirely on the generosity of our community to provide for their needs. From training supplies and treats to emergency veterinary care and even their popular trading cards, the costs add up quickly.

Moving forward, our goal is to host one primary fundraiser each spring. This allows us to better coordinate with the Needham Police Union mailer and avoid overlap, while also focusing our efforts in a more sustainable way. We’re hoping to continue this fundraiser in an online format, significantly reducing expenses compared to traditional mail campaigns, which proved to be too costly for our small nonprofit.

While we are incredibly grateful for every donation we receive, we would be remiss if we didn’t give a huge shoutout to some amazing community partners who go above and beyond for Rocket and Ghost. Thank you to Peaceful Pooch Grooming, Highland Animal Hospital, and Petco for generously donating their time, services, and food. Your support makes a meaningful difference every day. 💙💙💙

In addition to direct donations, you can also support the foundation by purchasing our merchandise, including clothing, patches, challenge coins, and Rocket stuffies. These items are available through the link in our Linktree, and every purchase goes right back into supporting our K9s. https://linktr.ee/needham_police

In addition to supporting our K9s, the foundation proudly awards a scholarship to a graduating Needham High School senior pursuing a degree in veterinary medicine, helping inspire the next generation of animal care professionals.

💙 Every dollar truly counts, and all donations are tax deductible.

📬 To donate:
Venmo link is https://venmo.com/u/NPWDFoundation (there are many scammers using our name so please use the direct link)

Checks can be made out to the Needham Police Working Dogs Foundation

Thank you for standing beside Rocket and Ghost and supporting the Needham Police Working Dogs Foundation.

02/15/2026

The safety and wellbeing of our police K9s is always a top priority. We are currently working to raise funds to equip Rocket’s cruiser with a heat alarm system, an important safety device that continuously monitors the interior temperature of the vehicle to ensure Rocket remains safe and comfortable at all times.

Thanks to the generosity and partnership of the Bellingham Police Department, we were fortunate to receive a donated heat alarm and canine cage for K9 Ghost’s cruiser when their K9 program retired. That support made an immediate impact, and now we are hoping to provide the same level of protection for Rocket.

A cruiser heat alarm is a critical piece of equipment. If temperatures inside the vehicle rise or fall outside safe limits, the system alerts the handler and can activate safeguards to protect the K9. This technology provides an added layer of security for the officers who rely on their partners every day and for the K9s who serve alongside them.

Rocket works tirelessly for our community, and this upgrade will help ensure he stays safe while doing the job he loves.

If you would like to support this effort, donations will go directly toward purchasing and installing Rocket’s heat alarm system.

01/01/2026

As we close out the year, the Needham Police Working Dog Foundation would like to extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who supported our foundation in 2025. Your generosity plays a direct role in supporting our K9s, Rocket and Ghost, and we truly could not do this work without you.

This year, we made the decision to move to a fully online and paperless donation model due to increasing operational costs that the foundation could no longer absorb. While change is never easy, your continued support showed us just how strong this community truly is.

We would like to give special thanks to the following organizations and individuals for their generosity and continued partnership whether it was through donations or purchasing patches, challenge coins and Rocket stuffies. This includes:

• CVS
• All Needham School PTCs
• St. Joseph School
• Dina Hannigan
• Needham Children’s Center
• Center at the Heights
• Eatons Funeral Home
• Copley Motors
• Needham Florist
• Needham Youth Football League
• SO MANY of our residents

We also want to recognize and thank Highland Animal Hospital and Peaceful Pooch Grooming, who take exceptional care of our K9s throughout the year. Your support keeps Rocket and Ghost healthy, happy, and ready to serve.

Looking ahead, the Working Dogs Foundation will continue operating strictly in an online donation capacity. This approach allows us to reduce overhead costs and ensure the greatest possible return back into the foundation and, ultimately, the Town of Needham.

From all of us, especially from Rocket and Ghost, thank you for standing behind our K9 program and for everything you do to support it. 💙🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺

11/08/2025

🐾 A Huge Thank You from the Needham Police Working Dogs Foundation! 🐾

Approximately three weeks ago, we reached out asking for support for our K9 program and once again, our community came through in a big way!

Last year, our mailer campaign had some logistical challenges and proved too costly for a nonprofit effort to run it again.

This year, we decided to take things online, and we were absolutely blown away by the response.

A heartfelt thank you to our countless residents who donated, as well as to local organizations and businesses who stepped up in a big way including Needham Flag Football, Needham Florist, and Copley Motors. Your generosity keeps our K9s trained, equipped, and ready to serve.

We’re also incredibly grateful to Hearth Pizzeria, who have offered to host a future fundraiser to benefit our K9 program, stay tuned for details!

Your continued support makes all the difference, and we couldn’t do it without this amazing community. 💙🐶

10/20/2025

🐾 Support Officer Rocket & K9 Ghost! 🐾

The Needham Police Working Dogs Foundation is proud to support our four-legged officers, Rocket and Ghost. They both truly do incredible work for our community. From locating missing persons to keeping our streets safe, Rocket and Ghost are invaluable members of the Needham Police Department and they do it all with wagging tails.

Last year, we hoped to raise funds through a community mailer, but the cost was simply more than the foundation could sustain. As a 100% donation-funded organization, we rely entirely on the generosity of our community to provide Rocket and Ghost with their essentials. From trading cards, to treats, to training supplies and emergency veterinary care, it can add up quick!

In addition to supporting the dogs, the foundation proudly awards a scholarship to a graduating Needham High School senior pursuing a degree in veterinary medicine which helps inspire and support the next generation of animal care professionals.

💙 Every single dollar counts and every donation is tax deductible. Your contribution directly impacts Rocket and Ghost’s well-being and our scholarship program.

📬 To donate: our Venmo is NPWDFoundation

Thank you for standing beside Rocket and Ghost and the Needham Police Working Dogs Foundation. Together, we can ensure they stay healthy, happy, and ready to serve.

02/16/2025

Stuck inside on this snowy, rainy, icy Sunday?

Now is the best time to support our foundation! We have youth and adult sizes available to order! The profit of the clothing helps cover expenses for both Rocket and Ghost throughout the year! We need your support.

https://npwdf.itemorder.com/shop/home/

11/12/2024

Because of your incredibly GENEROUS donations, we were able to raise over $3000 for this event to provide 30 kids with an amazing holiday. We need your help again! Please read below on how to donate.

2nd Annual Shop with a Cop!!
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BUT, we have added some excitement this year! We are partnering with our brothers and sisters in red to host our 2nd Annual Shop with a FIRST RESPONDER event.
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This event, hosted throughout the country, allows departments to purchase toys and or clothes for children who may be experiencing some type of hardship. The departments will be hosting a pizza lunch before where children get to meet their first responder they are shopping with, and then travel over to Target in Westwood to shop!
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If you would like to sign up, please fill out the google form and an officer will get back to you if you are selected. It will remain 100% confidential.
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Looking to donate? Please do! This program can’t happen without donations from people like you. Any amount is appreciated. We hoped for 10-15 children last year and had over 35 children experiencing hardship!
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Click here to sign up: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdfKjR4kppAN5hFwofLnsSNP3UZC7fDKBeX1AHMxXul4u4zZA/viewform?usp=sf_link
Click here to donate:
https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3935497474803240059
Your donation is 100% tax deductible!

10/26/2024

Thanks for stopping by!

We are partnering with our amazing friends at Best Buddies Needham to raise funds for some of their upcoming events! We are hoping to raise $500 to split with Best Buddies.

Any dollar helps! Thank you for your continued support!!

10/08/2024

We’ve been real busy the last couple months with events around town, home visits, and getting our “swag” store up and running!

We are incredibly happy to report that as of this morning, our online store is live! 100% of the proceeds go to support Rocket, Ghost, and any future working dogs in the Town of Needham!

We still have our patches, K9 challenge coins, and Rocket stuffies for you to purchase outside of the online store!

Please help support our furry friends!

https://npwdf.itemorder.com/shop/home/

04/10/2024

In the next few days, you will be receiving a mailer from our foundation. It will be our once a year mailer that goes out to the entire town and local businesses.

The letter will explain the goal and needs of the foundation. From dog supplies, medicine, and veterinary appointments, the list is long for our amazing pups. We can not sustain this foundation without people like you. Currently, our handlers cover a large part of the dog’s expenses. We are hopeful with your help, the foundation can assist the handlers.

It doesn’t just stop at supplies for the dogs though! We hope that we are fortunate enough to be able to give back to the community.

💙 One of those ventures we are providing this year is a scholarship to a graduating senior at Needham High School in pursuit of a degree in veterinary medicine. It is the least we can do given how amazing our veterinary staff has been over the years.

💙 We would also like to help improve and upkeep the local dog park in town as well as donate to other local organizations and groups around town.

We can’t do this without YOU though.

If you have any questions about the foundation, please reach out. Our contact information will also be on the letter.

04/03/2024

Have you ever dreamt of leading a parade in front of the entire town? Now you can!

Come join and K9 .boy_ghost as they lead the little league baseball and softball parade around town on Sunday, April 21st!

The foundation will be choosing 6 lucky winners! Entry is very easy. Either come to the station to fill out a ticket stub or Venmo us online and the officers will add your name to the bucket! 1 entry is $5, 5 entries are $20!

Act fast, the winners will be chosen on April 15th!!!

All proceeds go to Dana Farber as well as the Needham Police Working Dogs Foundation!

03/26/2024

Earlier this year, one of our local schools reached out wanting to help to raise money for our new foundation, the Needham Police Working Dogs Foundation.

They took it upon themselves to not only fundraise for Officer Rocket and K9 Ghost but also, create some delicious baked goods to fundraise for students and staff to buy!

We cannot say THANK YOU enough to SAINT JOE’S SCHOOL in Needham! Because of the students, parents, and staff, they raised over $1,200 for our foundation. We are SPEECHLESS. Beyond SPEECHLESS.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! This foundation is only sustainable because of schools, businesses, and residents like you!

Thank you Saint Joe’s 🩷❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜🤎🖤🩶🤍