Service Dogs
Locate A Provider Organization
Service Dogs
What Service Dogs Do
Is a Service Dog for You
How to Get a Service Dog
The Right Dog
The Right Source
The Right Trainer
The Right Training
Your Goals
Your Resources
Getting Ready for a Service Dog
Equipment
Health Care
When You Get a Service Dog
Working in Public
Do Your Research
 
If you are thinking of applying to a provider organization:
The First Step is to locate and research provider organizations.  Sites which list some provider organizations can be reached through links within this site.  Use your Internet search skills to find other organizations not on these lists. 
 
Some organizations place dogs only within a geographical area close to their location.
 
Some organizations may not be taking applications during a particular time.  You will be wasting your time and theirs if they say on their website specifically that they are not taking applications.
 
Some organizations place service dogs only with a particular cross-section of the disabled population, for example: children, or blind, or deaf and hearing-impaired persons.
 
Some organizations place only certain types of service dogs, for example dogs for the blind, hearing dogs, seizure alert dogs, or psychological service dogs.
 
If a provider organization is a member of Assistance Dogs United Campaign, they will be able to use vouchers for funding the service dog.  Other organizations may have other sources to help with funding.  Some organizations require total payment for the cost of the service dog.
 
After carefully reviewing the criteria, geographic range, type of dogs trained, and other information about many provider organizations, you will begin to narrow the options down to those which you can make a match with.
 
Remember, when you are interviewing a provider organization, making a match goes both ways.  They may be interviewing you, but you are also interviewing them.  Pull out your list of questions about a provider organization from the previous exercise.
 
Here is a list of suggested questions to ask a provider organization:
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Education and Support for People and Service Dogs