The Freedom Service Dog is a charity organization based in Denver, Colorado aimed at saving dogs and training them as service dogs for people with disabilities that include multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, PTSD, and others. The organization is best known for its activities in providing help dogs to US veterans - one of the few services that only use rescued dogs.
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FSD is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization founded in 1987 by Michael and P.J. Roche. Freedom Service Dogs is a member of Accredited and Voice-based Assistance Dogs International, which establishes and promotes standards and ethics for aid dog training organizations worldwide.
FSD has partnered with the United States Veterans Administration to adopt dogs from animal shelters and train them to provide dog help to veterans, part of the program by the VA to make provision of help dogs an integrated part of the treatment plan. In addition, FSD has partnered with the Peak Military Care Network to help provide service dogs to veterans.
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Training
The majority of animals entering this program are unwanted and/or abandoned dogs that are rescued from animal shelters. Each dog undergoes comprehensive health assessment and behavioral/training assessments. The dog is then given a coach and starts a 9 to 12 month training program.
Cane dogs are trained to improve self-reliance for people with disabilities. Each dog is matched with a particular client and trained according to their individual needs. Dogs can be trained to assist clients in their mobility, as well as picking up goods, taking help, operating simple equipment (press the light switch or alert button). The dog also provides the company, and can entertain the owner during nightmares or flashbacks.
Program
- Operation Freedom - was developed in 2009 to address the problems experienced by soldiers returning from combat situations, such as PTSD, immobility and inactivity, and providing dogs to Vietnam veterans through conflicts currently in Iraq and Afghanistan - as well as for some active service personnel. FSD trains about 40 dogs a year through the program, at a cost of about $ 25,000 per dog. Fees are filled mostly through donations, and no fees are charged to the recipient of the dog.
- Pawsitive Connection - works with young people at risk aged 11 to 18 - especially those cared for, young people with ADHD and other learning problems, and young people in the juvenile justice system. Young people help train dogs, supervised by teachers and dog trainers. This occurs during the initial phase of the training when the dog learns basic commands, and the students handle dog service training once a week for 8 to 12 weeks.
- Professional Therapeutic Dog - is a partnership between the Freedom Service Dog and the University of Denver Institute for Human/Animal Relations and the Graduate School of Social Work. This program uses animal-assisted therapy to benefit the mentally and physically disabled. FSD also provides dogs to work with other therapists.
References
External links
- Official website of Freedom Service Dogs
- The International Dog Help website
- Freedom Service Dog's Facebook Page
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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