Service Dogs Alabama

Service Dogs Alabama has approximately 50 dogs in training at various levels at all times. Their breeding program focuses on healthy dogs with clear hips and joints, as well as nine temperament factors. They also accept puppies from other breeders who meet their requirements.

Puppies spend their first weeks at the main campus before starting the Puppy Program at 11 weeks, living with SDA Puppy-Raisers. During this time, they work on basic training at Camp Canine and house manners. The training process is individualized based on each puppy’s progress, ensuring the right job for each dog.

A significant part of their training occurs in prisons, where 52 incarcerated inmates are dedicated to training dogs. This program provides inmates with consistent responsibility and helps them develop life skills such as better parenting, increased self-control, anger and emotion management, communication skills, teamwork, compassion, and purpose.

Policies

Service Dogs Alabama guarantees that all service dogs placed will work for their recipient. They will take any dog back within the first year of placement and assign another dog to that recipient. As a policy, all dogs are spayed/neutered prior to placement, career-change, release, or retirement, including breeding stock.

Service Dogs Alabama does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status in any of its activities or operations, including hiring, volunteer selection, vendor selection, and provision of services. They are an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive and welcoming environment.

Service Dogs Alabama is a non-profit organization dedicated to training and providing medical and psychiatric assistance dogs to children, adults, and Veterans with disabilities. They also provide Facility Dogs trained in intervention and behavior disruption for schools, courtrooms, and State Departments where stress is prevalent.

The organization’s top priority is creating the best possible matches to help remove barriers and support a full, active lifestyle for recipients. They maintain approximately 50 dogs in training at various stages at all times, with this number growing annually.

A unique aspect of their program is the prison training initiative, where incarcerated inmates are involved in training service dogs. This program aims to rehabilitate inmates by fostering consistent responsibility, self-control, anger management, communication skills, teamwork, compassion, and purpose, leading to extremely low recidivism rates for participants.

Service Dogs Alabama guarantees that all service dogs placed will work for their recipient and will take any dog back within the first year of placement to assign another dog if needed. They also have a 100% adoption rate for all dogs that do not make it through their program, ensuring they find excellent homes.

Accomplishments

Service Dogs Alabama was founded by Frances McGowin and Ashley Taylor in 2010 as the K-9s 4 Kids Service Dog training program under Easter Seals Alabama. It was incorporated as an independent non-profit organization in 2015.

The organization boasts a 100% adoption rate for all dogs that do not complete their program, ensuring they find excellent homes. They also offer a 100% guarantee that all service dogs placed will work for their recipient, with a policy to replace a dog within the first year if needed. Their prison training program has resulted in extremely low recidivism rates for participating inmates, saving taxpayers millions of dollars.

How to Get Started!

To apply for a service dog, individuals must complete an eight-step application process. This process involves ongoing communication to understand the applicant’s needs and ensure the right match. Interested individuals are encouraged to visit the website to begin the application process, which includes an “Application Process” PDF and a “Basic Information Form”.