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 non-profit or government 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 employed by a non-profit or government agency and is serving vulnerable populations.
• Applicant is the primary handler that provides goal directed interventions which promote improvement of physical, social, emotional and cognitive abilities.
• 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 »