FSD SERVICE DOGS
Under the ADA, a service animal is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the person's disability. Freedom Service Dogs provides custom-trained service dogs for autism assist, mobility assist, and PTSD assist for veterans.
OUR DOGS
PTSD Assist for Veterans and First Responders
We provide custom-trained service dogs to assist veterans and first responders who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury, and loss of limbs or mobility due to combat-related injuries. With a Freedom Service Dog at their side, veterans, first responders, and active-duty service members can experience greater independence, self-confidence, happiness, and hope.
Our highly skilled service dogs can assist veterans and first responders who have PTSD by waking them from nightmares, interrupting flashbacks, creating space around them in public places to reduce anxiety, and providing devoted companionship.
For veterans with mobility challenges, our service dogs can help with everyday tasks, such as turning lights on and off, opening doors and drawers, retrieving dropped items, and more.
Freedom Service Dogs is certified by PsychArmor Institute, a national nonprofit that provides free education and support for those who live, work, or care for veterans. PsychArmor courses are designed to help bridge the civilian-military gap. We felt it was vital that our staff attend these online courses to enable them to better serve our applicants and graduates.
Are you a veteran or first responder without a PTSD diagnosis? Are you looking for the companionship of a dog but do not need a fully-trained service dog? An FSD Skilled Companion may be the right fit for you! Learn more.
Mobility Assist
We provide custom-trained service dogs to individuals with mobility challenges resulting from cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injuries, stroke, and traumatic brain injury.
Our service dogs bring greater independence and confidence to our clients with disabilities by helping them perform daily living tasks. Depending on the unique needs of each client, our dogs can be custom trained to perform many tasks, including opening and closing doors and drawers, turning lights on and off, retrieving phones, keys, and other items, pushing emergency buttons, and much more. While our dogs can support clients by helping with tasks that require strength and endurance, we cannot serve clients who need brace and balance support.
Mobility clients must commit to attending a two-week placement class at FSD’s training facility in Englewood, Colorado, where they learn to bond with their service dog and work together. Clients must also be prepared and physically able to provide basic care to their service dog, including regular feeding, exercise, and potty breaks, and to reinforce the training that their service dog has received.
PLEASE NOTE: We are currently accepting a limited number of applications. If you are interested in being invited to apply, please email [email protected] with the answers to the following questions:
- What is your daily life like?
- How would a service dog help mitigate your disability?
- What service dog tasks would you benefit from?
If you could be a good fit for our current waitlist, a member of our team will send you the link to apply in a few weeks.
Autism Assist
We provide specially trained service dogs to young adults on the autism spectrum. Our dogs can help relieve emotional outbursts by redirecting attention, interrupting repetitive behaviors, improving social skills, increasing self-confidence, and more.
PLEASE NOTE: We are currently accepting a limited number of applications. If you are interested in being invited to apply, please email [email protected] with the answers to the following questions:
- What is your daily life like?
- How would a service dog help mitigate your disability?
- What service dog tasks would you benefit from?
If you could be a good fit for our current waitlist, a member of our team will send you the link to apply in a few weeks.