Numerous families attended "Kiss The Puppies," a May 1 event intended to generate support for the nonprofit psychiatric service dog training program known as The Exceptional Partner.

Held at The Exceptional Pet, a dog training facility on Simm Lane, the event gave the public an opportunity to meet the friendly Labrador retriever puppies that will be trained during the coming year to work as psychiatric service dogs for people needing emotional assistance.

The Exceptional Partner program will provide trained dogs free of charge. As a nonprofit organization, it relies on donations to operate.

Activities offered at the event included an agility course for kids, crafts, games, and face painting, as well as prizes, plus photos taken with one of the five Labrador puppies being trained by volunteers to become psychiatric service dogs.

When fully trained, the service dogs may assist their future handlers who have psychiatric disabilities such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, or schizophrenia.