Photo from
cbsnews.com

Sam Simon, one of the creators of The Simpsons, currently finances a program (appropriately named the Sam Simon Foundation) which trains stray dogs to work as service dogs, assisting people with disabilities. A dog trainer visits shelters to choose dogs whose respective temperaments are suitable; the dogs undergo six months of preparatory training.

Simon is a self-proclaimed dog nut. How much does it cost him to run this program? “”I don’t even know. It’s millions,” Simon acknowledges [in a 60 Minutes interview]. “It’s well spent just for the pleasure it gives me, honestly.”” The Sam Simon Foundation is a 501 C3 non-profit and it does not accept any donations. Granted, Simon still earns a bit every time The Simpsons airs – he reckons about $10 million a year and he hasn’t actually worked on the show in about fifteen years.

I’ll be honest: I love dogs. I have volunteered with stray dogs abroad (and at home) and hearing about a program like this makes me pretty happy. Given the more critical approach I’ve taken in other posts, one could say that there are probably other ways to spend millions a year to help dogs. What I think is unique about this case is that Simon doesn’t seem to be looking for kudos (or donations). He does this because it makes him happy and some good happens in the process.

There is more though: his vets “…travel around Los Angeles in Sam’s spay and neuter-mobile, so people in low-income neighborhoods can get their pets fixed for free. The mobile is a state-of-the-art operating room on wheels, snipping away at 30 dogs a day. Add in the visits the dogs make to lonely seniors, and it’s quite an empire.”

Here’s an opportunity you don’t have to be a multi-millionare to do, or even commit to owning a dog forever: 1. You can volunteer to foster a dog or cat from your local shelter – if an animal is too young or ill it may need extra attention until it recovers and is adopted. 2. You can care for a future service dog while it undergoes training (stay tuned for more on this!).