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Service Animals Information Center

Organizations

1. Assistance Dogs International
   Assistance Dogs International (ADI) is an international coalition of not for profit assistance dog organizations. The purpose of ADI is to improve the areas of training, placement, and utilization of assistance dogs, staff and volunteer education, as well as educating the public about assistance dogs, and advocating for the legal rights of people with disabilities partnered with assistance dogs. ADI has a comprehensive accreditation system and members have to be regularly assessed to ensure they meet the high standards expected of assistance dog programs. [More Information on Assistance Dogs International]
   
   
2. Assistance Dogs of America Inc.
   Assistance Dogs of America Inc. (ADAI) helps children and adults with disabilities achieve greater independence by training and placing service and therapy dogs to assist with the individual's daily needs. [More Information on Assistance Dogs of America Inc.]
   
   
3. Braillnet Plus
   Offered in both Czech and English, this site grew out of Czech Blind United's BBS. The site provides information on Czech Blind United and other Czech adaptive technology, guide dog, and rehabilitation services for people with visual disabilities in the Czech Republic. [More Information on Braillnet Plus]
   
   
4. Canine Companions for Independence, Inc.
   Founded in 1975, Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) is a non-profit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships. CCI is the largest non-profit provider of assistance dogs. [More Information on Canine Companions for Independence, Inc.]
   
   
5. Dog Ears
   Dog Ears is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing specially trained dogs to be companions and to assist the hearing impaired. The carefully screened dogs are trained to alert their owners to everyday sounds that the hearing impaired cannot hear. [More Information on Dog Ears]
   
   
6. Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, Inc.
   Fidelco provides German shepherd guide dogs to help people with visual disabilities live a more normal life. Using a one-on-one, In-Community Placement process, Fidelco trains clients to use their guide dogs in their homes, neighborhoods, and places of work. Throughout the two-to-three-week training process, they have the support of their family, friends, and co-workers, while Fidelco's professional trainer-instructors to carefully evaluate a new client’s progress up close and personal. The Fidelco German shepherd was created through selective breeding from strong working lines and possesses the characteristics of intelligence, temperament, stamina, and stability. [More Information on Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, Inc.]
   
   
7. Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc.
   Since 1946, the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc. has provided guide dogs free of charge to blind people who seek enhanced mobility and independence. [More Information on Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc.]
   
   
8. Guide Dog Users Inc.
   Guide Dog Users Inc. (GDUI), an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind, is one of the largest consumer-driven organizations of people interested in the dog as a working guide. GDUI has affiliate organizations throughout the U.S., where members work together on local and global issues. It is primarily an advocacy organization, assisting individual members with advice and useful contact information and advocating at both state and Federal levels on behalf of the guide-dog handling population. [More Information on Guide Dog Users Inc.]
   
   
9. Guide Dogs for the Blind
   Guide Dogs for the Blind is a nonprofit, charitable organization with a mission to provide guide dogs and training in their use to visually impaired people throughout the U.S. and Canada. It operates two training centers in San Rafael, CA and Boring, OR. The site offers information on guide dog training and care. [More Information on Guide Dogs for the Blind]
   
   
10. Guide Dogs of America
    "Guide Dogs of America is dedicated to its mission to provide guide dogs and instruction in their use, free of charge, to blind and visually impaired men and women from the United States and Canada so that they may continue to pursue their goals with increased mobility and independence." [More Information on Guide Dogs of America]
    
    
11. Guide Horse Foundation
    The Guide Horse Foundation is a non-profit charity dedicated to providing free guide horses for visually impaired individuals. It uses miniature horses which are trained as guides. [More Information on Guide Horse Foundation]
    
    
12. Helping Hands, Monkey Helpers for the Disabled
    Helping Hands is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for quadriplegic individuals by training capuchin monkeys to assist them with daily activities. [More Information on Helping Hands, Monkey Helpers for the Disabled]
    
    
13. International Hearing Dog, Inc.
    International Hearing Dog, Inc. (IHDI) rescues dogs from local animal shelters, trains them to assist the hearing impaired then places them with recipients throughout the US and Canada free of charge. Each dog is hand selected and placed by an IHDI trainer. Once the Hearing Dog has been placed, IHDI staff remain in contact throughout the life of the dog to provide support, advice and guidance. [More Information on International Hearing Dog, Inc.]
    
    
14. Japan Guide Dog Association
    The Japan Guide Dog Association (JGDA) raises and trains guide dogs for the visually impaired. It has two training centers; one in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, and the other in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. [More Information on Japan Guide Dog Association]
    
    
15. Lions Foundation of Canada
    Lions Foundation of Canada trains dog guides for Canadians who are blind or visually impaired, are deaf or hard of hearing, or have medically and physically limiting disabilities. All programs are offered at no charge to the client, but future care and maintenance become the responsibility of the dog guide recipient. [More Information on Lions Foundation of Canada]
    
    
16. National Education for Assistance Dogs Services, Inc.
    The National Education for Assistance Dog Services (NEADS) (also known as Dogs for Deaf and Disabled Americans) is a non-profit organization that was established in 1976 to provide canine assistance for people who are deaf or have a disability. These assistance dogs become an extension of their handlers and bring freedom, physical autonomy and relief from social isolation to their human partners. NEADS has trained over 1,300 assistance dog teams since 1976. NEADS offers a wide spectrum of assistance dog services, including: canines for combat veterans; dogs for children with a physical disability; hearing dogs for people who are deaf or have hearing loss; service dogs for people with physical disabilities; dogs for the classroom, therapy and ministry; and dogs for children with autism. [More Information on National Education for Assistance Dogs Services, Inc.]
    
    
17. New Horizons Service Dogs
    New Horizons Service Dogs, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that partners trained dogs with people with disabilities, mostly in the area of wheelchair and mobility assistance. Headquartered in Central Florida, they provide service dogs to disabled clients primarily throughout the state of Florida. [More Information on New Horizons Service Dogs]
    
    
18. Paws with a Cause
    Paws with a Cause trains assistance dogs nationally for people with disabilities and provides lifetime team support to encourage independence. [More Information on Paws with a Cause]
    
    

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