The National Fire Dog Monument (NFDM) was created to build the Certified Accelerant Detection K-9’s a bronze monument to acknowledge them for their service to the communities they serve. These dogs do not ask for anything in return after risking their lives to reduce the negative impact of arson in their communities. The monument design is a kneeling fire fighter next to a sitting Labrador Retriever and is titled “From Ashes to Answers”. The monument is inspired by Colorado's first Arson dog Erin, who recently lost the battle with cancer. NFDM created a website to introduce the K-9 program and educate others about the impact of arson in society. They are raising money to create a National Monument for the K-9’s that have and are currently working in all our communities to combat the crime of arson.
Launched in 1983 by Los Angeles Chief oF Police Daryl Gates and the Los Angeles Unified School District, D.A.R.E. is today the world’s preeminent substance abuse prevention education program. D.A.R.E. is universally credited with introducing the topic of substance abuse prevention into the classroom and the home. Now taught in every state in America and delivered in 72% of all school districts, as well as 46 other nations, the program also pioneers prevention education in other fields that include internet safety, bullying prevention, cyber bulling prevention, prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse prevention, and gang involvement prevention. D.A.R.E. serves not only students in the classroom, but through its community education programs, the public at large. “Teaching students good decision-making skills to help them lead safe and healthy lives.”
FireK9.org is a nonprofit public benefit CA corporation founded in 2009, to support and promote the use of professional independent canine accelerant detection teams on an international level. The organization is funded solely by member dues, sponsors, and donations. FireK9.org’s certified handlers and their canine partners –sometimes referred to as “arson dogs” – are located in the US, Canada and Europe. They assist fire departments, investigators, law enforcement agencies, and arson task forces engaged in the investigation and control of arson. Trained to detect ignitable flammable liquids, our fire canines search burned buildings, vehicles, vessels, wild land or other suspicious fires and alert their handlers when they detect traces of ignitable liquids.
FireK9.org develops and hosts training and proficiency programs for its members to achieve greater competence through the exchange of practical, technical and scientific information involving ignitable liquid detection, canine health, and research.
Members of Fire K9.org help combat crime and reduce the threat of arson by offering canine accelerant detection demonstrations, conducting arson awareness discussions, and fire prevention education programs in their home communities.
In the front lines of keeping families and our communities safe, no team provides a more potent one-two punch than police officers partnered with K-9s. Trained for specific tasks, these highly intelligent dogs stop criminals in the act, catch fleeing fugitives, sniff out illegal drugs and cash, and participate in search-and-rescue missions. They find bodies, bombs, and the cause of fires. They even save their partners’ lives, sometimes at the cost of their own.
Given the crime-fighting value of K-9s, you may find it surprising to learn that, with budget cuts, cities across America are having a hard time funding the acquisition and training of these wonderful animals. Depending on their specialty, each dog costs between $10,500 and $12,500.
K9s4Cops provides an answer for this crisis. As a 501(c)3 charitable, nonprofit organization, our aim is to raise funds for Houston and cities nationwide urgently requiring additional K-9s. Police work is dangerous work. A K-9’s job is to step in front of danger. K9s4Cops’ mission is to ensure that every law enforcement officer in need of a K-9 has one at his side, well trained and ready for action.
The Inland Empire Police Canine Association is a non-profit organization comprised of law enforcement and military canines from Southern California. Primarily from the Riverside, San Bernardino and Los Angeles Counties, the IEPCA holds a database of all of its members so that handlers can network and share training ideas as well as request other agencies to assist in the event of a major incident or when mutual-aid is required. The IEPCA also raises money to help with advanced officer/canine training and classes for its canine teams.
The IEPCA is a proud charity partner of the American Humane Association and honored to be working with this group to promote law enforcement canines throughout our country.
Founded in 1975, Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) is a non-profit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships. Headquartered in Santa Rosa, CA, CCI is the largest non-profit provider of assistance dogs, and is recognized worldwide for the excellence of its dogs, and the quality and longevity of the matches it makes between dogs and people. The result is a life full of increased independence and loving companionship.
Happy Tails Service Dogs is a 501(c )3 nonprofit organization that teaches persons with physical disabilities and those who are deaf or hard of hearing how to train THEIR dog to be a service dog as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Students and their dogs come to class once a week for approximately 15 months. Besides the classroom, instruction is also provided to the students both during group outings in the community as well as one on one instruction in the student’s home. Students are required to pass the Canine Good Citizen test and the Public Access test prior to taking the test for certification. The test for certification requires two evaluators to test the student in his/her home, outside the home, during local travel and at a mall.
Once becoming certified, a student is given the opportunity of becoming a Peer Mentor to new students coming into the program. Through presentations, graduate students disseminate information on how service dogs assist persons with disabilities in becoming more independent both in their homes and communities.
Each year Happy Tails hosts a Christmas party for current and graduate students. The students look forward to the camaraderie, pictures with Santa, gift exchange and lunch. It is at this time that recognition is given to students who have become certified during the year.
Happy Tails was established in 1996. All services are free of charge to the students.
Freedom Service Dogs (FSD), founded in 1987 by Michael and PJ Roche, is a nonprofit organization that rescues unwanted dogs from local animal shelters and trains them to be service dogs to assist deserving disabled veterans returning from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. FSD has matched nearly 150 service dogs with disabled veterans, with a 100% success rate placing dogs that do not become service dogs in adoptive homes. FSD uses positive reinforcement methods to train the rescued dog to meet the specific needs of each individual that it is paired with, along with maintaining continuing support to make sure that the dog continues to meet new needs as they come.
Founded in 2003, Paws with Purpose is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing assistance dogs as partners to children and adults with physical disabilities or other special needs. These dogs provide comfort and companionship, help break down social barriers and perform many skilled tasks which help their partners lead more independent lives. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, PWP is proud to provide these highly skilled companions to individuals living around the Louisville and Southern Indiana areas free of charge to the recipient.
Patriot Service Dogs, Inc. is “ Making a Difference, 4 Paws at a Time.” PSD is a 501(c)3 100% volunteer organization that provides service dogs to disabled military with a mobility disability, loss of a limb or PTSD, at no charge to them. Applicants can be active, honorably discharged, medically discharged or retired.
Our dogs are trained to help by retrieving dropped items, opening and closing doors, turning lights on & off, carrying packages, being a calming influence to those with PTSD and many other much needed tasks. Please help PSD help the military by giving them back some of their independence & freedoms they fought to preserve for us.
The WOOF program (Women Offering Obedience & Friendship), based in Lowell Women’s Prison in Marion County, Florida, is getting ready to start its service dog program. Two pups have been introduced to the existing program originally started to help make dogs from the Marion County Humane Society more adoptable. Inmates are now learning how to raise and train a service puppy.
ECAD’S mission is to enable people – veterans, children, teens, adults – with disabilities, whether physical, behavioral, or emotional, to live with greater independence and mobility through the use of specially educated dogs. This education begins when the puppies are eight weeks old and attend training classes with the student handlers at five alternative schools through the ECADemy Program. By age two, ECAD’s dogs respond to 80 commands, including retrieval of objects, opening of doors, and pulling of wheel chairs. They also know to alert their person when it is time for medication, to have a blood sugar check, and to recognize the onset of nightmares brought by the horrors of war.
Since its inception in 1995, ECAD has successfully placed 200 Service Dogs with individuals and 20 as Facility Therapy Dogs.
ECAD introduced its Project HEAL Program in 2008. This program is designed to meet the needs of Veterans suffering from physical injuries, lost limbs, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury. To date, sixteen veterans have received ECAD Service Dogs.
The benefits of having an ECAD Service Dog are concrete: An 18 year old with Cerebral Palsy is able to attend college because of Crisco; a mother with Muscular Dystrophy is able to care for her family because of Garrison; and a seven year old boy with autism no longer disappears because Baker is at his side. And the Veterans, with their Service Dogs by their side, overcome their hyper-vigilance, depression, and anger and transition into civilian life with greater success.
Three lives are changed directly by ECAD’s Service Dogs. In a larger context, their families and their communities benefit as well.
America's VetDogs is an overall assistance dog program that uses guide dogs and service dogs to enhance the lives of disabled veterans of all eras. For active service members deployed far from home we provide the U.S. Army with Combat Stress Control dogs. America's VetDogs is our way of honoring the sacrifice made by our men and women in uniform and our dedication to veterans is stronger than ever before. We set the standard by which veterans, the military, and the VA measure assistance dog providers
International Association of Assistance Dog Partners
The International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP) is a nonprofit founded in 1993 by disabled persons to foster the assistance dog movement through its networking publication, Partners Forum, conference workshops, an informative website and other education, advocacy and peer support initiatives. Reducing the financial burden of partnership on the most impoverished segment of society is another important goal. IAADP works with generous corporate partners and other benefactors to help members to maintain the health of their guide, hearing and service dogs through donated products and discounts. IAADP also fundraises in order to provide a grant of financial aid to help “Save a Partnership” in cases where a beloved assistance dog develops a major veterinary problem that is treatable, but the disabled person can’t afford the surgery or other recommended treatment which could enable their working partnership to continue.
Power Paws mission is to provide highly skilled assistance dogs to adults and children with disabilities throughout the United States, to provide education and continuing support for working assistance dog teams, and to be a resource in the community for people with disabilities.
Power Paws Assistance Dogs incorporated in 2001, received its 501(c ) 3 status and began training and placing assistance dogs. Since 2001, Power Paws has certified 60 teams and currently has over 40 dogs in training.
Power Paws trains Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers in 90 commands to assist adults and children with disabilities. The organization’s main focus is on mobility impairments, such as paraplegics and quadriplegics. However, it does provide dogs to the hearing impaired and those with psycho/social disabilities, such as fears, phobias and Post Traumatic Distress Disorder. Among the commands that assistance dogs learn: open and close doors and drawers, turn lights on and off, push elevator buttons and retrieve dropped items. Power Paws is thrilled to offer its newest program: Diabetic Alert Dogs for children and adults with Diabetes. These dogs are trained to alert and respond to diabetic highs and lows. The dogs are typically 20-30 minutes ahead of the glucose meter, allowing people to be proactive with their care. They are just Amazing!
Power Paws has been able to provide assistance dogs to people with disabilities within one to two years from the completion of an application. This remains one of the shortest waiting times in the industry. We are fully accredited by Assistance Dogs International.
Stiggy's Dogs is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of the Military Veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury. Stiggy’s offers another way to heal through Psychiatric Service Dogs. The dogs are rescued shelter dogs that are trained specifically for each Veteran. By uniting these Military Heroes and these amazing dogs, Stiggy’s is "Rescuing One To Rescue Another."
Patriot PAWS Service Dogs is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization specializing in the training of service dogs for disabled American veterans. Our mission is to provide high quality service dogs to these servicemen and women in the hopes that their lives will be greatly improved by these magnificent animals. There is never a charge to the veteran for the dog. In February of 2006, Patriot PAWS was formed. It was through a chance meeting between a group of veterans and Lori Stevens, Patriot PAW’s Founder and Executive Director, that our organization came to fruition. The veterans expressed a need for service dogs to Lori, and given her extensive dog-training background, she felt compelled to begin the program. To date, Patriot PAWS has placed 33 dogs, with the hopes of adding an additional 20 dogs to that list by the end of next year. Still, the waiting list is long, as more and more veterans are requesting service dogs to help them in their daily lives.
The bonding process between a service dog and their respective veteran is a sight to behold. Patriot PAWS believes the dog chooses the veteran, not the other way around. The dogs are drawn to particular people and make their opinions known via body language and attention to those people they want to work with. And once that partnership is formed, Patriot PAWS has seen remarkable changes to the veteran.
It is those partnerships, and the subsequent improvement to the veterans helped, that keeps Patriot PAWS committed to its goal. Patriot PAWS can only do this through the generosity and compassion of everyday people who choose to donate.
The Foundation for Service Dog Support (FSDS) is an Arizona-based 501(c)3 nonprofit that provides support and resources for people and service dogs. The FSDS provides training for service dog teams, support and encouragement for people who need service dogs and increased community awareness about the role of service dogs in public spaces. The FSDS preferentially grants service dogs to injured and/or disabled first responders, public safety and military personnel, public school teachers and members of the clergy.
The FSDS creatively couples the delivery of educational programs to the community with the provision of service dogs to those in need, thus reducing the overall cost of programming and increasing the benefits to our community. FSDS’ innovative service dog training program allows interested individuals to learn service dog training skills, and offers a tuition waiver in exchange for services. This allows FSDS to increase not only the number of dogs available in the community, but the number of qualified trainers as well.
Youth education is a key component in all FSDS does, and the organization involves local youths at all levels of training. FSDS currently mentor the Pets and Caring Kids (PACK) Club as well as the Arizona State University Campus K9 Club. FSDS is currently in the process of working to offer its service dog training program in a local high school district, allowing teens to participate for high school credit. These teens learn marketable job skills while learning the importance of community service.
The FSDS also runs a comprehensive Canine Safety Program, offering certification in canine first aid and CPR, as well as an Outreach Certification Program for privately trained service dog teams seeking certification.
Kyria Henry founded the nonprofit, paws4people™, (in 1999 at the age of 12) fulfilling a simple dream to use dogs as a means of helping people. With the assistance of her father and a lot of very dedicated volunteers, Kyria has built an organization that provides badly needed Service and Assistance Dogs to serve a wide variety of clients.
Their mission is to profoundly enhance the lives of Active-Duty Service Members, Veterans, Inmates (Federal & State), Children/Students, and seniors, by utilizing the "Special Powers" of canine companionship and service displayed by highly trained Assistance Dogs, including: Service Dogs, Educational Assistance Dogs, Rehabilitative Assistance Dogs and Social Therapy Dogs through specialized educational, private placement, therapeutic and visitation programs.
Theyaccomplish this missionthrough the efforts of a network of over 230 (unpaid) volunteers and over 200 trained, certified and insured Assistance Dogs. These volunteers and dogs are trained and certified by, are placed through, then provide services through a sophisticated and synchronized array of integrated programs that provide educational, therapeutic, training, advocacy and visitation programs to a diverse myriad of people. (They do a lot!)
Highly-trained Assistance Dogs provide support in areas including: mobility service, psychiatric service, educational assistance, rehabilitative assistance and social-therapy for Children, Seniors, Hospice and Hospital visits, and serve Military clients through the paws4vetsTM program with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
Dogs come from our breeding programs and rescues. They are placed in an intensive training program literally from birth. The training programs includes training: Assistance Dogs Inmates to train Assistance Dogs Wounded Warriors to train Assistance Dogs College Students to train Assistance Dogs
The vast majority of funding comes from individual donations through the website at paws4people.org.
Paws & Effect is a nonprofit that raises, trains and places service dogs for a variety of disabilities, including veterans and individuals with special needs. Paws & Effect also provides Pet Partners for animal assisted activities and animal assisted therapy and has several unique Pet Partner programs, including the Abilities Through Agility Program at ChildServe. This program integrates dog agility with physical, occupational, and speech therapy in a group environment. Paws & Effect run dog agility and rally obedience competitions as fundraisers for our programs.
Soul Friends, Inc. is a nonprofit established in 2003 with a mission to provide innovative clinical and educational programs that promote the healing benefits of animal assisted interventions for children. In its eight year history, Soul Friends has served over 5,000 children in an array of individual and group programs, with a strong commitment to serve children in urban areas. Soul Friends provides services to children who are most at-risk, including those living in foster care, children living with the impact of trauma, illness and grief, and special needs children. The founder, Kate Nicoll, received her MSW from Smith College and has more than 25 years of experience working with children and their families. Inspired by her companion dog, Sam, who supported her following a disabling spinal cord injury; Nicoll realized she had to share the comfort of therapy animals with children. The Soul Friends’ team continues to be successful in providing quality programming in collaboration with a variety of community and state agencies. The positive outcomes of Soul Friends’ 5 animal assisted intervention group curriculum programs has been presented at both international and national conferences, as well as published in a peer reviewed journal. Soul Friends’ licensed clinicians in addition have specialized training in understanding the human-animal bond through the Delta Society, Path International, EAGALA, Animals and Society, and post-graduate training; as well as demonstrated commitment to create a partnership with its working therapy animals. The organization’s past efforts of collaborative research projects with multiple agencies and universities strongly demonstrates its commitment to impact the well-being of children by providing sustainable change at local, state and national levels in appreciating the human-animal bond. Soul Friends’ driving force remains its vision statement: “To heal the hearts of children one wagging tail at a time”.
Angel On A Leash champions working with therapy dogs in health care facilities, schools, rehabilitation, hospice, extended care, correctional facilities, and crisis intervention. Through advocacy, education, research and service, Angel On A Leash promotes the role of the human-animal bond in enhancing human health and quality of life.
Angel On A Leash is unique in the field of therapy dogs and animal assisted interactions. Its distinctive focus creates the Margin of Excellence:
Working with facilities to create and support a therapy dog program unique to that facility, a program that meets the needs of its clients and patients;
Training the human partner of the team, who drives the experience and must be the guiding hand for the team;
Protecting the dogs as they work, emphasizing that the safety and health of the dog is a top priority;
Supporting research on the effect of Angel On A Leash’s work on patients and clients, and the effect of that work on the health of the dogs.
Love on 4 Paws is an animal assisted therapy program that provides trained volunteer handler and therapy animal teams to local hospitals and schools. At present there are about 120 active (human) volunteers in the program. Each volunteer brings his / her dog, cat, or rabbit at a scheduled time and spends an hour or two visiting. Love On 4 Paws volunteer handler / animal teams are experienced in interacting with people who are ill, physically handicapped, developmentally delayed, or multi-handicapped. For these people, simple tasks or unexpected situations can become discouraging obstacles, sometimes preventing interaction with others. Animal assisted therapy visits counteract isolation and facilitate socialization, while helping build motor skills, cognitive skills, and self-confidence. Behind the scenes, the Love on 4 Paws directors and staff handle evaluations, training, scheduling, coaching, and other administrative tasks.
The Good Dog Foundation is a 501(c)3 charitable organization founded in 1998 to promote the use of animal-assisted therapy. Good Dog’s mission is to elevate the stature and promote society’s understanding of the therapeutic value of the human-animal bond. This is accomplished through the use of professionally-trained and supervised volunteer teams who work to aid the healing process in humans and enhance clients’ quality of life. Good Dog provides therapy dog services to people in health care, educational, social service and community facilities in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts, and at disaster sites around the country. Good Dog teams are trained to the highest standards in the field through Good Dog’s own copyrighted training program. Teams participate in eleven weeks of in-person therapy dog team training with ongoing evaluations to become certified. Good Dog’s highly-trained and fully-certified volunteer teams each consist of a human handler and therapy dog. These teams offer exceptional healing services free of charge. Good Dog also advances research and promotes awareness about the benefits of the human-animal bond.
The gentle touch of a furry friend comforts those who are in need – this is Hand in Paw.
Hand in Paw improves human health and well-being through Animal-Assisted Therapy. Founded in 1996, we are a 501(c) 3 charitable organization serving north central Alabama. Hand in Paw’s philosophy is this: just as the best results come from the collaboration between two people working hand-in-hand--the most effective Animal-Assisted Therapy is conducted through the partnership between a handler (the hands) and the therapy animal (the paws). Whether encouraging a toddler in an early intervention center to take her first steps, showing unconditional love for a troubled teen in a group home, or comforting a senior in a palliative care unit, Hand in Paw’s professionally-trained handlers and their pets work together as Therapy Teams to change lives.
Hand in Paw’s innovative programs address a range of societal issues facing Alabama—working to combat illiteracy, prevent family and community violence, and strengthen the lives of people with special needs. Delivered in schools, libraries, and shelters, its Sit, Stay, Read! program helps struggling young readers overcome their fears by reading aloud to nonjudgmental therapy animals. Pawsitive Living™ follows a 12-week, evidence-based curriculum, developed by Hand in Paw, and teaches care giving, responsibility and empathy to adolescents residing in group homes. Alabama has the nation’s 6th highest rate of people with special healthcare needs, and the 5th highest rate among children. Hand in Paw’s Petscription program helps people with physical, mental, and cognitive challenges reach therapeutic goals and provides positive distraction from fear and pain.
Hand in Paw’s services are delivered free of charge in collaboration with more than 60 community partners. Its 120 Therapy Teams reach 60,000 people annually.
The United States War Dogs Association, Inc. established in the year 2000, is a nonprofit organization of Former and Current U.S. Military Dog Handlers and supporting members committed to promoting the long history of the Military Service Dogs, establishing permanent War Dog Memorials, and educating the public about the invaluable service of these canines to our country.
The organization’s background in military War Dog service and its dedication to honoring the memory of the service and sacrifice of the US Military Working Dogs gives The United States War Dogs Association a unique perspective that it can use to educate the public on the history of Military War Dogs.
Objectives:
Education - With the use of our Traveling U. S. War Dog Exhibit, bring the history of all U. S. Military War Dogs from all Wars to the general public.
Operation Military Care – K9 – Providing Care Packages and support to US Military Working Dog Teams who are deployed to the Middle East and other locations around the world.
War Dog Memorial - Help raise funds to establish War Dog Memorials.
K-9 Corps Commemorative Stamp Drive Sign on for petitions to have the Postal Service issue a commemorative stamp for all Military Working Dogs.
National Memorial - Help to establish a National War Dog Memorial in Washington, DC.
Support - Through our fund raising: service dog organizations such as Military Working Dogs, Police K-9 units and Search and Rescue units.
K-9 Adoption - Help in the process of adopting retiring Military and Police Canines.
Support - Post-deployment outreach for returning troops.
Military Working Dog Adoptions was established in 2008 for the purpose of educating Americans about how to find and adopt Retiring Military Working Dogs (MWDs). As retired MWDs currently receive no governmental benefits at the end of their useful lives of military service, this organization designates donations for medicines, surgical procedures and even End of Life arrangements for America’s Hero K9 Warriors. In addition to being available for the rehoming of any already adopted MWD Heroes, the organization also facilitates MWD adoptions and provides transport funds to fly both internationally and domestically retired MWDs to their Forever Homes at “Ft Couch.” It is MWD Adoption’s passionate mission and joyful honor to serve these Great and Mighty MWD Warriors who have so selflessly, nobly and bravely defended our Nation! “Many Soldiers are enjoying their TODAYS and planning their TOMORROWS because of what a Military Working Dog did for them YESTERDAY!”
Save-A-Vet.org
www.Save-A-Vet.org
Save-A-Vet.org helps rescue & support military & law enforcement working dogs & other service animals from being put down when their service to country & community is done, and to provide housing & relief for disabled veterans who help take care of them. We have successfully pursued these goals through a comprehensive 4-point program of awareness, advocacy, adoption, and rescue. http://www.Save-A-Vet.org
Since 1946, the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc. has provided guide dogs free of charge to blind people who seek enhanced mobility and independence. Its students come from all over the United States and many foreign countries. Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind’s trademark small classes and individualized instruction often attract students who may have special requirements. They have successfully trained hearing-impaired blind people as well as many physically challenged people. The organization is supported entirely by donations from generous individuals, corporations and foundations and receives no government funding. In 2009, the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind became the first assistance dog school in the world to be certified by the International Guide Dog Federation and Assistance Dogs International. It is the only assistance dog school in the United States to receive dual accreditation by these two international bodies.
Since 1939, Leader Dogs for the Blind has provided guide dogs to people who are blind and visually impaired to enhance their travel mobility and independence. Over 14,000 clients from 39 countries have attended Leader Dog. All services are provided free of charge.
Leader Dog’s main focus is providing well trained guide dogs; however, other services have been developed to enhance the travel independence of their clients, including:
Being the first provider of guide dog training to people who are Deaf and blind.
Being the first organization to train people who are blind in the use of location technology (GPS). In 2011 Leader Dog was the first to integrate free GPS devices and instruction into both its core guide dog and Accelerated Mobility Programs.
Developing a unique Accelerated Mobility Program to teach clients orientation and mobility techniques for cane travel and/or for maintaining orientation when traveling with a Leader Dog.
Developing a summer program for teens that offers new experiences designed to strengthen their personal and travel independence. Every teen receives a free GPS unit and training, and gets to ‘test drive’ a Leader Dog.
Guide Dogs for the Blind provides enhanced mobility to qualified individuals through partnership with dogs whose unique skills are developed and nurtured by dedicated volunteers and a professional staff.
Established in 1942, Guide Dogs for the Blind continues its dedication to quality student training services and extensive follow-up support for graduates. Its programs are made possible through the teamwork of staff, volunteers and generous donors. Services are provided to students from the United States and Canada at no cost to them.
Established in 1982, Southeastern Guide Dogs is one of twelve accredited guide dog schools in the United States and the only one located in the southeast. Their mission is to create and nurture a partnership between a visually impaired individual and a guide dog, facilitating life’s journey with mobility, independence and dignity.
Through their programs Paws for Independence™, Paws for Patriots™, and Gifted Canines™ they have more than 600 active guide dog teams across the nation and continue to add more than 70 guide dog teams annually. They also provide Veteran Assistance dogs for soldiers suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Facility Therapy dogs to major military medical facilities to spread encouragement among our wounded warriors.
Recently, through their new program, Canine Connections, they now provide gentle companion dogs to kids, ages 10-17, who are visually impaired or have a condition that will lead to blindness, so that they may learn the joys and responsibilities of dog ownership in advance of receiving a guide dog.
Southeastern Guide Dogs receives no government funding and all of their services are provided at no charge, thanks to the generous support of donors and volunteers.
Guiding Eyes for the Blind is a leading, nonprofit 501(c)3 guide dog training school, serving blind and visually impaired people from around the world. Since its inception, the school has provided—free of charge—thousands of blind people with specially bred and trained dogs that grant them dignity, freedom and greater independence.
In 2008, Guiding Eyes launched Heeling Autism, a service dog program dedicated to serving the local community. These special dogs provide safety and companionship for children with autism.
Guide Dog users, Inc. is one of the special-interest affiliates of the American Council of the Blind, and is dedicated to promoting the partnership between blind men and women and their specially-trained guide dogs. The organization serves as an advocacy and support networking resource for guide dog teams around the world, as well as providing information to the general public concerning the guide dog team partnership.
Since 1929, The Seeing Eye has partnered with people who are blind who seek to enhance their independence, dignity, and self-confidence through the use of Seeing Eye® dogs. More than 15,500 of these specially bred and trained dogs have brought a new level of mobility, safety, and self-sufficiency to almost 8,000 men and women from all across the United States and Canada. Every month The Seeing Eye helps change the lives of up to 24 blind or visually impaired people by providing them with dogs to guide them.
The Seeing Eye is the oldest existing dog guide school in the world and continues its role as a pioneer in the dog guide movement. The Seeing Eye has played an integral part in shaping public policy guaranteeing access and accommodation to people who use service animals. From developing a computer information system that calculates the suitability of every dog in the colony to become a breeder, to funding cutting edge research in DNA sequencing and identifying genetic markers for degenerative eye disease, The Seeing Eye is a research leader in canine genetics, breeding, disease control and behavior. The organization is a founding member of the Council of U.S. Dog Guide Schools and a fully accredited member of the International Guide Dog Federation.
The Seeing Eye does not receive government funding. The Seeing Eye is supported by contributions from individuals, foundations, corporations, and bequests and other planned gifts. Without assistance from people like you, the organization wouldn’t be able to continue its critical work of enhancing blind people’s lives by training them in the use of these exceptional dogs. Please support The Seeing Eye’s mission of changing lives by making a tax-deductible donation today!
The purposes of the foundation include educating people about blindness, and as donations permit we shall assist blind children and later blind adults in obtaining some of the technologies which will assist them in learning and working in the world.
The American Rescue Dog Association (ARDA), founded in 1972 by Bill and Jean Syrotuck, is the nation’s oldest air scenting search dog organization.
Since its inception, ARDA’s standards and training methods have served as the model for canine search and rescue units around the world.
ARDA is comprised of highly skilled volunteer search and rescue units across the United States that utilize specially trained dogs to locate missing persons in wilderness, drowning, forensic cadaver, and disaster search and rescue/recovery missions. Each ARDA member unit is required to adhere to the Association’s rigid standards and undergo a rigorous two day field evaluation every three years to ensure these standards are being maintained.
Established in 2007, the Penn Vet Working Dog Center, is part of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine and serves as a national research and development center for detection dogs.
With the United States national security under constant threat from attacks, detection dogs are still the best tool that we have to detect and mitigate potential threats. Search dogs are also critical for the detection of victims of natural and manmade disasters.
The organization’s goal is to increase collaborative research, scientific assessment, and shared knowledge and application of the newest scientific findings and veterinary expertise to optimize production of valuable detection dogs.
The Search and Rescue Dog Foundation, Inc. was founded to provide Civilian Volunteers with grant money to replace their working K-9 partners, who are unable to continue working due to illness, injury, retirement or death. It cost these volunteer handlers over $10, 000 dollars of their own money to purchase and train an urban search and rescue dog. The training can take 2-3 years and there are only 200 of these highly trained dogs in the United States. In addition to purchase price, they are responsible for veterinarian bills, equipment and training expenses.
Unlike the military, police and fire departments, search dog handlers receive NO governmental funding.
Be it a hurricane, earth quake, terrorist attack, missing child or Alzheimer patient, these volunteers leave their families to assist total strangers in their deepest time of need.
The Sage Foundation For Dogs Who Serve recognizes that many dogs provide hard, dangerous and loyal service beside their human handlers in wars, crime prevention, and both natural and man-made disasters. When these dogs are injured or fall ill, often as a direct result of their work, their services are terminated; their fate, uncertain. Some are simply retired and if they are lucky enough to be adopted, the adoptive owner is faced with the cost of medical care for these dogs.
The Sage Foundation For Dogs Who Serve’s mission is to promote the welfare of dogs who have faithfully served (often in harm’s way) in wars, police work, crime prevention, and rescue efforts through education and increased public awareness.
Search And Rescue dogs were paws on the ground when we came under attack on September 11, 2001 and again when Hurricane Katrina hit land in Louisiana and Mississippi. These dogs were tasked to work in extremely dangerous and toxic search sites. Whether it's a lost hiker or an abducted child, Search and Rescue dogs are on the job.
After an earthquake, tornado, hurricane, or other man-made or natural disaster occurs, highly trained Search and Rescue dogs are standing by to respond by saving lives and bringing closure to families for those who don't survive. The Sage Foundation For Dogs Who Serve is dedicated to serving these hero dogs by assisting departments, owners and handlers when cost prohibiting veterinary care is needed.
We believe that our nation's Search and Rescue, Police, and Military Working Dog hero dogs deserve the finest care available regardless of cost and we are there to support that end.
National Search Dog Alliance (NSDA) is a Search and Rescue Dog group started in March 2007 whose mission is to provide education, certifications and a voice in the future of search and rescue canines. The organization supports the efforts of all search and rescue personnel as they enhance their knowledge and capabilities in the field of search and rescue canines. The Alliance's aim is to become an exemplary group representing the interests of search and rescue dog handlers.
The National Search Dog Alliance has confidence that it can provide quality education, pre-eminent certifications and an effective voice in the future of search and rescue canines.
Dogs for the Deaf is a nonprofit, 501 (c ) 3 organization that will:
Rescue homeless dogs from shelters
Provide needed medical care and spaying/neutering
Train dogs to help people with a variety of disabilities and challenges including hearing loss, autism, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, panic/anxiety attacks, depression, stroke, and chronic arthritis.
Train dogs to assist professionals (teachers, physicians, counselors, legal advocates, caregivers) who work with patients and clients who have various disabilities and challenges.
Provide 5-6 months of obedience training and specialized training needed for the program each dog is in
Screen each applicant for a dog carefully to determine the person's needs, abilities, personality, life style, and ability to care for the dog
Match each dog to the best possible applicant for that particular dog
Deliver the dog to the person's home and train the applicant and family members to maintain the dog's skills
Provide lifetime follow up and guidance to make sure the team is achieving maximum benefit from each other
Help the person with the retirement or passing of the old dog and receiving a successor dog
Will NOT take dogs back to the shelter - all dogs are placed in loving homes.
All of this is done free of charge to the person, except for a $50.00 application fee and a $500.00 Good Faith refundable deposit.
Our investment in each dog includes finding and evaluating, providing any necessary medical treatment, training, socializing and further evaluation, placement with the client and working with the team and on-going follow-up support for the life of the team.
Dogs for the Deaf is funded by donations from individuals, service clubs, groups, bequests, estates, and businesses. It receive no government funding.
Paws With A Cause serves people and Veterans with disabilities through custom-trained Assistance Dogs and provides lifetime team support, as well as access to Successor Dogs. Provided at no cost to the client, PAWS Dogs® are Service Dogs, Hearing Dogs, Seizure Response Dogs and Service Dogs for Children with Autism. PAWS Dogs® can be trained to respond to every day sounds; retrieve dropped objects; push medic alert buttons signaling for help; provide comfort and companionship to a child with autism; assist in pulling a wheelchair; open and close doors; and provide lifesavings tasks for a person with a disability.
Working alongside the AMVETS family, PAWS has placed Assistance Dogs with Veterans and their family members for more than 23 years. Assistance Dogs help their client travel their pathway to independence. Says Corporal Stone, U.S. Army retired, “My Service Dog is my partner – we have a symbiotic relationship. We are independent, together, as a team. My life is richer, fuller and much more active with my Service Dog than it was before. I now travel, speak and coach Wounded Warriors all because I have a partner to help out.”
At Paws With A Cause, the 32 years of experience in placing custom-trained Assistance Dogs is unsurpassed. Service Dogs are more than just dogs of service -they are essential tools in a person’s quest for independence.
Dogs For Life, Inc. (DFL) trains and certifies hearing dogs for hard of hearing and deaf individuals and service dogs for people with mobility challenges. Task training can take anywhere from 6-8 months, up to 1 1/2 years, depending on the number of tasks that need to be trained to mitigate the disability of the client. The processes include: documentation of client’s disability, acceptable temperament of the dog, AKC canine good citizen training and public access training. Task training occurs in the home of the client and in public settings such as restaurants, drug and grocery stores and doctors’ offices. DFL is an accredited from Assistance Dogs International. There is no charge to the client for training of assistance dogs. Funding is secured through tax deductible donations.
Since 2001, DFL has trained 70 assistance dogs, received 50 formal applications, trained 32 teams, and certified 24 assistance dogs. Currently DFL supports 18 teams. DFL fields 200 phone calls and e-mails annually for its services, legal rights for service dogs, and assists with referrals to other organizations. DFL contracts with five part-time assistance dog trainers who attend annual training conferences.
DFL has 20 certified pet assisted therapy volunteers and has trained an additional 72. DFL offers weekly pet assisted therapy sessions at 13 local nonprofit facilities. Since 2002 DFL has serviced 30 children, senior and medical facilities. There is no charge to facilities to provide pet assisted therapy visits.
Texas Hearing and Service Dogs turns strays into stars by rescuing shelter dogs and transforming them into working partners for disabled individuals.
Using positive training methods, THSD trains formerly abandoned dogs to become the ears of their deaf partners. Hearing dogs alert deaf individuals to essential everyday sounds like the oven timer, door knock, alarm clock, smoke alarm and even a baby’s cry. They also train service dogs to pick up dropped items such as keys, cell phones, pens, etc., open and close doors, nudge paralyzed limbs back up onto an arm or foot rest, operate light switches, fetch help and even assist with laundry.
Texas Hearing and Service Dogs provides the dogs free of charge. Founded in 1988, they have been creating “technology you can hug” for 24 years.
Founded in 1989, the Pine Street Foundation’s mission is to help people with cancer reach more informed treatment decisions through education and research. The organization’s research program also supports and informs its education programs; by publishing the results of its work in reputable medical journals, and with that, the Pine Street Foundation is able to make the results of its efforts widely available to other researches, practitioners, and patients. Pine Street Foundation's program includes ground-breaking research in Canine Scent Detection, where they have trained dogs to identify the smell of breast and lung cancer on patients' breath.
Rescued Animals helping to heal the human heart - Healing Species is the first student intervention program in the nation addressing issues of the heart to overcome violence, bullying and crime – with the assistance of rescued dogs – dogs nobody else wanted. Healing Species is the “first of its kind” and paving a new standard among results-oriented programming.
"Peace on Earth begins with how we treat the weakest or most voiceless among us," as stated by founder Cheri Brown Thompson, who created the program after extensive research on the link between animal cruelty and domestic violence.
Each of the dogs in the Healing Species is a rescue who assists in each of the 11 lessons as a way to teach children the concept of empathy. The program builds a bridge between students and their hearts with the help of rescued animals. The participation of the rescued dogs helps the organization reach all children, including high-risk youth. The dogs help children open up to the message that even the most wounded among us has something important to give and deserves to be safe.
Started in South Carolina over 10 years ago, the program is now in Washington, Texas, Wisconsin and New Zealand.
One of America’s most prominent philanthropists is the founder and president of The Lois Pope LIFE Foundation, Inc. and Leaders in Furthering Education (LIFE). LIFE is devoted to saving lives, helping people help themselves, improving the quality of life for families in need and encouraging young Americans to become leaders by helping others.
Lois Pope is a woman with a passion, a passion for saving lives and recognizing valor. Her stalwart commitment is brilliantly evidenced by her incomparable efforts on behalf of our country's disabled military veterans. Indeed, the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial is her brainchild and, as co-founder and chairperson of the Disabled Veterans' LIFE Memorial Foundation, she has spearheaded the Memorial's development since she first conceived it more than a dozen years ago. Located on a 2.4-acre site across from the U.S. Botanic Garden and in full view of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., the Memorial is the nation's first and only permanent public tribute to the sacrifices made in defense of our freedom of the more than three million living disabled American veterans, the hundreds of thousands who have since died, and the many who will come in the future.
Her foundations also provide awards for medical research, college scholarships, humanitarian relief, the performing arts, and animal welfare. Mrs. Pope donated $10 million to the University of Miami to establish the Lois Pope LIFE Center, the top catastrophic neurological research facility in the world.
Mrs. Pope has trained for and completed five New York City marathons -- all after the age of 55. She has 14 canine companions, almost all of which are rescue dogs. Her love for animals and children is all encompassing, and because of this her next endeavor will be in support of the American Humane Association.
One in four dogs dies of cancer? It is the number one killer of our canine friends, and accounts for half the deaths of dogs age 10 and older.
6 – 8 million cats and dogs enter U.S. shelters each year, and half of those are euthanized?
Of the 1,880 animal cruelty cases reported to the media in 2007, dogs represented the most common victims (64.5%)?
Our Mission – The mission of the Bow Wow Buddies Foundation is Camp Bow Wow’s charity arm to promote the health and welfare of animals worldwide by focusing on finding foster and lifetime homes for unwanted animals, promoting humane education and treatment, and investing in research and treatment for those devastated by illness and disease.
Our areas of focus:
Home – Every animal deserves a loving home. The Bow Wow Buddies Foundation works with Camp Bow Wow franchisees throughout the county to provide foster care and facilitate adoptions for homeless pets. Since 2003, we have found homes for over 7,000 animals—and we plan to find forever homes for an additional 1,000 this year!
Health – Working to find a cure for canine and feline cancer is our top priority. We fund a yearly scholarship at the world-renowned CSU Animal Cancer Center.
Humane – All animals have the same basic needs— clean food and water, shelter and love. Worldwide animal overpopulation leads to neglect, abandonment, abuse and suffering. Our financial efforts in 2012 will be focused on the On Our Way Home Project, a shelter play yard socialization grant program, installing play areas into participating shelters, providing best practices surrounding enrichment and increasing adopt-ability in shelter animals through socialization. Increasing our participating shelters live release rates through enrichment is the main priority of this program.
The threats to our planet’s wildlife and plants are increasing at an alarming rate, with some species disappearing before they have been recorded. In some cases, simply finding the plant or animal, whether an invasive weed or a critically endangered gorilla evades even the most experienced field scientist.
At Working Dogs for Conservation (WDC), we partner with detection dogs to save endangered species and habitats both locally and internationally. We focus on three types of conservation priority programs: Wildlife Monitoring, Invasive Species and Corridors & Connectivity (defining boundaries, overlap and how different species use an area). Using a non-invasive approach, our scientist-detection dog teams collect critical data for research and conservation initiatives, where information is difficult to gather yet urgently needed to prevent extinction crises. Over the last decade, WDC has worked in eight countries with 30 species, many of them critically endangered where the data collected is crucial to their survival.
Supporting all this is the Dog Life program, committed to ensuring happy and enriching lives for our working, retired, and candidate conservation dogs. There is an emphasis on selecting rescued dogs from shelters, dogs that would otherwise be nearly impossible to re-home due to their high energy, intense focus and obsessive drives, qualities that make them exceptional detection dogs. These lucky dogs are trained with positive reinforcement, plenty of exercise, excellent food and the constant companionship of their handler. Different from many other detection dogs, WDC’s dogs live in the homes of their handlers; this lifestyle creates a balanced and healthy dog, and supports a long partnership in the field.
At Working Dogs for Conservation, we are honored each day to partner with our conservation heroes.
