Is A Facility Dog Right For Your Facility?


Facility Dog Program

A facility dog is a specially trained dog that works with a professional in a residential or clinic setting. The dog must be trained to do specific, skilled tasks in a variety of different situations within the facility environment with multiple clients; it must be more than just a presence within the facility.

Our Facility Dogs can help vulnerable populations in the following types of facilities:

  • Schools/classrooms for special needs children, handled generally by a special needs teacher or school psychologist.
  • Victim advocate centers & court houses helping victims of crime through the painful and challenging experience of a criminal trial.
  • Hospitals & Physical Therapy Centers helping patients through their rehabilitation, the dogs are often handled by the physical therapists, psychologists or psychiatrists.
  • Residential centers for individual with disabilities. Helping through difficult times that can include in-patient treatment or end of life care.

Minimum criteria to apply for a facility dog:

  • Applicant must have appropriate authorization from the facility and/or corporation, district, etc. to receive a facility dog.
  • Applicant is the primary handler that provides goal directed interventions which promote improvement of physical, social, emotional and cognitive abilities for the vulnerable populations they serve.
  • Be able to independently complete Team Training, a hands-on training course and reside in our campus dorms in Sylmar, CA for 10 days. 
  • Be prepared to share detailed information that pertains to their ability to meet requirements to receive a facility dog including personal history and references.
  • Ability to provide a safe, loving, healthy and stable home for a service dog.
  • Ability to provide for the dog’s physical, psychological and financial needs

PLEASE NOTE: The demand for a service dog far outweighs our available service dogs in training and we do not guarantee that every applicant will receive a dog.  We screen and interview applicants whose needs match the strengths and skills of our dogs.

Complete a Prequalifying Questionnaire »