Service Animals and Companion Dogs

Information & Assistance

• Commonly Asked Questions About Service Animals In Places Of Business
  From the US Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division
  
• Guide Dog Access Laws of the World
  From the National Association of Guide Dog Users web site
  
• Guide Dog Training Programs
  List of programs which train guide dogs for the blind.
   

Animal Providers & Trainers

• 4 Paws for Ability
  Accepts anyone who has a disability as defined by the Americans of Disabilities act of 1990 and specialize in finding creative solutions for people who have severe disabilities. We accept children of any age and have formed a team placement where the dog is certified to the parent and child as a three person team.
• Arf Kids - Service Dogs for Special Kids
  To provide disabled and terminally ill children Service Dog candidates that will be specifically trained to assist in the improvement of the quality of life and accessibility of the child.
  
• Assistance Dog Institute
  The Assistance Dog Institute offers quality instruction in human and canine studies to postsecondary students worldwide interested in furthering their knowledge of themselves and the role of the dog with human society.
• Assistance Dogs International
  
• Assistance Dogs of America - Ohio
  Locate, train and place special, highly skilled service and therapy dogs with disabled adults and children, helping our clients become more independent and providing them with a renewed sense of freedom.
  
• Canine Companions for Independence
  Canine Companions for Independence pioneered the concept of training specially-bred dogs to help people with disabilities other than blindness.

• Freedom Guide Dogs
  Freedom Guide Dogs for the Blind breeds, raises, trains and places dogs to guide the blind through a special program of "Hometown Training."
  
• The Guide Horse Foundation
  Committed to delivering Guide Horses at no cost to the blind, relying on un-paid volunteers and charitable donations to pay all travel and housing expenses for the blind handler's on-site training.
• Guiding Eyes for the Blind
  Dedicated to enriching the lives of blind and visually impaired men and women by providing them with the freedom to travel safely
  
• Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers for the Disabled
  A national nonprofit serving quadriplegic and other people with severe spinal cord injuries or mobility-impairments by providing highly trained monkeys to assist with daily activities. As live-in companions, our monkey helpers provide 20-30 years of service, bringing the gifts of independence, companionship, dignity and hope to the people they help.
  
• International Association of Assistance Dog Partners
  A non-profit, cross-disability organization representing people partnered with guide, hearing and service dogs.
• Lions Project for Canine Companions for Independence
  Formed to educate, raise funds and to seek puppy raisers for Canine Companions for Independence.

• Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides
  Trains Dog Guides to meet the needs of Canadians who are blind or who have hearing and other medically and physically limiting disabilities.

• National Service Dog Center
  Provides information and resources for people with disabilities who are considering getting a service dog or who are currently partnered with a service dog.

• National Association of Guide Dog Users
  A Division of The National Federation of the Blind, NAGDU, is a forum for guide dog users that currently use a guide dog to travel independently, or those considering getting a guide dog, or who want to learn more about the use of such dogs and the guide dog movement in general.
• Paws with a Cause
  Trains Assistance Dogs nationally for people with disabilities and provides lifetime team support which encourages independence.
  
• Psychiatric Service Dog Society (PSDS)
  Organization dedicated to responsible Psychiatric Service Dog (PSD) education, advocacy, research and training facilitation. We provide essential information for persons disabled by severe mental illness, who wish to train a service dog to assist with the management of symptoms.
  
• Special Skills Dogs of Canada
  Special Skills Dogs work with clients who are physically or medically disabled with mobility concerns.
  
• Service Animal Registry of America
  Registration and certification of Service Animals, Therapy Animals and their Trainers all around the world.
  
• Service Dogs Directory - List of Providers
  This list includes contact information for many of the training organizations available worldwide, however, some may no longer exist. Therefore, this listing is for informational purposes only.

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Last Updated July 1, 2009 by rowley@waisman.wisc.edu
Document Source: http://www.familyvillage.wisc.edu/general/servdogs.htm