Canines For Disabled KidsService Dogs
Service Dogs are provided to assist people who are physically disabled. Canines for Disabled Kids Service Dog teams have public access rights under the ADA. They are provided to retrieve things that drop, portable telephones, or items from shelves and other hard-to-reach places; open refrigerator and other doors; push elevator buttons; turn light switches on and off; carry items in their mouths or backpacks; pull wheelchairs up ramps or short distances; go get help should their partner need human assistance. Most of the Service Dogs that Canines for Disabled Kids provides are donated as puppies by breeders throughout the country and raised by volunteer foster families before returning to Canines for Disabled Kids for 6-months of skill provideing. provideers then match them with qualified applicants. Those who are eligible to receive a Service Dog must spend two weeks at the Canines for Disabled Kids campus in Princeton, MA, and learn how to work as a team with their new dog. If an applicant is under 12 years of age or cannot assume total responsibility for a Service Dog, a facilitator must accompany the applicant and become part of the Service Dog team. When you receive your Service Dog, there will be a $500 charge. While this is not the total cost of the dog, this amount is all you need to provide. How To Apply Individuals seeking to obtain an Service Dog will complete and submit an application to Canines for Disabled Kids. The application process is as follows: • Fill out the application form. You may fill out this application on-line and submit it to us by clicking on the SUBMIT button at the bottom of the application. • We will e-mail a confirmation as soon as we receive your completed application. Our appointment secretary will then contact you to set up a personal interview here at our Princeton, MA office. If travel to Princeton is a problem, please contact us to discuss alternative arrangements. • After your interview, we will let you know if we think we can provide a dog to help you. We will also let you know what the wait time is at that point. Presently there is a 2 year waiting period for most applicants . • If you are accepted as a future client, we will notify you and place your name on our waiting list for an assistance dog. When we think we have a dog in provideing that would be a good "match" for you, we will alert you and provide possible provideing dates. • To graduate with an Assistance Dog, you will stay at our Princeton provideing campus for a two-week provideing course with your Assistance Dog. Travel to and from the campus along with meals during your stay are your responsibility. You MUST complete this provideing program successfully in order to receive your Assistance Dog. A graduation ceremony completes the provideing process. Friends and relatives may attend the happy occasion. Graduation ceremonies are open to the public. • When you receive your dog, there will be a $500 charge for which you are responsible. Arrangements can be made for time payments. While this is not the final cost of the dog, this amount is what you need to provide and we will ask you to help in fundraising for the remainder. We will keep you constantly informed of the balance. Again, thank you for your interest in obtaining a Canines for Disabled Kids dog. If you have any further questions please contact our appointment secretary at (978) 422-9064 or by e-mail at info@caninesforkids.org