Posted: May 16, 2016
We here at CerebralPalsy.org are proud of the work and effort we put into helping children with CP and their families. While our help ranges from adaptive equipment to assistive technology, bill assistance to home modifications and beyond, we sometimes receive specific requests that we quickly dive into researching. One of those requests involved finding options for getting a service dog in Washington. We hope that we found helps!
First, it’s important to note that there are multiple options when it comes to getting an assistance or service dog in Washington. There are traditional avenues in which a dog is provided, trained and attuned to a child’s needs. However, there are also options where families can have their dog trained at an ‘academy’ of sorts. This versatility in options will hopefully be of help to those in Washington who are looking for an assistance or service dog, and we hope you find this list valuable!
- Summit Dogs: Aimed at helping ‘anyone who can demonstrate a real need for and intent to use the services,’ Summit Dogs is a great option for those needing a service dog. They request that those who receive a dog be actively involved in the adoption process and consider fundraising during their adoption process. Apply here.
- Paws Abilities: This is an example of one of the groups that handles training of a pet you bring to them. For more information on what qualities a service animal will have upon training, click here.
- Service Dog Academy: Trains your dog to act as a service dog according to your needs. Their training can also include medical alert dogs, which may be of assistance to those with diabetes or other conditions.
- Brigadoon Dogs: With dogs aimed to serve veterans, children and adults with physical, developmental and/or behavioral conditions, Brigadoon has been helping the community since 2004. Some of their dogs are trained by inmates for veterans, but this organization also train dogs for children with Cerebral Palsy. Learn more about their mission here.
- JLAD: An acronym for The Joys of Living Assistance Dogs, this organization has been around since 2004. Dogs available include assistance dogs, dog-assisted therapy canines and social therapy dogs. To learn more, contact their organization here.
There are a number of other national organizations we would be happy to connect families with when they are looking into getting an assistance animal. While the list above is a quick overview of service animal organizations in Washington, we can help people nationwide and hope that you’ll contact us today!
