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Canine Companions

https://canine.org/

cdarrow@cci.org

Call 1-800-572-2275

Santa Rosa, CA

Servicing the USA

What makes this organization unique?

Canine Companions is a non-profit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs at no charge to the recipient.

Who can sign up to get a service dog?

Honorably discharged veterans with: physical disabilities, hearing loss, or a service connected diagnosis of PTSD.

How much does it cost for the vet to get a dog?

FREE, The program is free of charge. Canine Companions service dogs and all follow-up services are provided free of charge to the recipient. Students are responsible for their transportation to and from the regional training center, their meals during Team Training and depending on the training center in your regional area, the cost of staying in a hotel. Once matched with a dog, graduates of the program are responsible for costs associated with care of the assistance dog including food, grooming and routine veterinary expenses.

What kind of service dogs are offered?

Service dogs:
Service dog program- National
Hearing dog program- National

PTSD service dog program:
CA, NV, OR, WA, ID, MT, WY, AK, TX, NY, NJ,
PA, CT, DE, MD, DC, VA, WV, MA, RI, VT, NH, ME

How long does it take to get the new service dog?

Once on the list, the wait time varies greatly between categories and based on each individual’s needs. Typically, service dog candidates have the longest wait, as dogs with very specific temperaments are needed for these placements.

Where does the organization get the aminals to train?

With the increase in military veterans returning with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Canine Companions launched a program in 2018 to directly place service dogs with veterans with PTSD. Dogs are trained to identify each veteran’s unique stressors and perform tasks that directly disrupt escalation of symptoms, thus enhancing their quality of life. Tasks may be performed for anxiety, hypervigilance and generalized fear. The dog supports their handler in crowded public situations by creating barriers and distance that might provoke anxiety for individuals with PTSD. Additional tasks such as nightmare interruption, turning on lights and retrieving items are taught to support veterans’ daily lives.

While veterans interested in a service dog for physical or auditory disability are offered at all six Canine Companions training centers, currently the PTSD program is offered in our Northwest, Northeast and South Central Regions. Applicants for the PTSD program must be United States Armed Forces veterans.

Get Connected with Canine Companions

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