Is a Service Dog right for you?
STEP 1- CONSULT YOUR CARE TEAM
We train our Service Dogs specifically to serve the needs of service related disabilities experienced by military Veterans, First Responders and rauma Exposed Professionals (TExP)
Service Dogs can be an integral part of reintegration into civilian life, so demand is very high for our highly trained dogs. Your first step is to work with your medical care team and carefully explore whether a Service Dog is the correct medical device for your needs. A Service Dog must be the right treatment, at the right time. Your Care Team will need to prescribe a Service Dog for your specific needs.
STEP 2 – LEARNING
Adding a Service Dog to your care and recovery plan is a signficant lifestyle change. Before applying for a Service Dog, be sure to research and learn more about dogs, Service Dogs and how a Service Dog may integrate into your lifestyle. A Service Dog is not the right “medicine” for everyone.
Speaking to other Service Dog Handlers, watching videos, or working with trained professionals and their Facility Dogs may help you determine if a Service Dog is the correct treatment option for you.
STEP 3 – COMPLETE YOUR APPLICATION
Our inguiries are currently open.
Elligible inquiries will be contacted by FTK9 and guided through the application process.
Benefits of our Service Dogs
A Service Dog is a medical device and is not the correct treatment for all individuals. For those who do benefit from a Service Dog the ways in which a SD can help are varied and personalized for every team. A SD can work along side and in conjunction with your Care Team’s other mental and physical health care. Among the many things our dogs can be trained to assist with:
Interrupt Hyper Vigilance: Recognizing increased tension and stress can be the first step to reducing hypervigilence. FTK9 SDs are trained to recognize indicators of hypervigilence and help their handler navigate a variety of environments more comfortably
Reintegration into a civilian lifestyle: Service Dogs can be an important conduit for building relationships in public settings. A working dog’s social and physical activity needs can enhance the wellbeing of the Team.
Why Our Service Dogs?
Cost
FTK9’s Service Dogs are raised and trained at our Headquarters in Pembroke Ontario for the first 18 to 24 months of their life and have an eight to ten year working life. All food, veterinary care and training are provided during this time. As such our Service Dogs are valued at $40,000.
Each dog is provided free of charge to eligible clients.
FTK9’s receives no government funding and relies entirely on donations and fundraising from the general public, corporate sponsors, fundraising events, and community supporters.
Clients are not obligated to fundraise and fundraising efforts are in no way tied to when and if they receive their Service Dog.
Once matched, the actual direct cost of the Service Dog to the client is:
- The cost of travel, accommodations and food in Pembroke Ontario during Handler Training
- All regular care of the dog (grooming, travel, food and veterinary costs) are the responsibility of the recipient once the dog has been placed with the individual.
Wait Times
Our Service Dogs take 18 to 24 months to learn, grow and be ready for their life of service.
The timing of a service dog placement is determined by chronological position on the waiting list and by the availability of the correct dog for the individual’s needs and situation.
Application Process
To help ensure the success of each team, we have a detailed Application Process to assist with the placement and matching of our dogs.
- Each inquiry is screened to ensure they meet our application criteria.
- Following our initial screening an Application Package is sent for completion. The Application Package includes instructions for your medical care team and requires their input. Please ensure your medical care team is able to return your paperwork within the required deadline.
- If successful, in-person and in-home interviews are conducted to meet the applicant and their household, to learn more about their lifestyle, and further define how a Service Dog can assist the applicant.
Applicants may exit the Application Process at any time and may be disqualified at any point during the Application Process. Entrance to the program is determined after completion of all of the above.
Once accepted to the program, the wait time for a fully trained Service Dog with customized skills for the client’s needs can be as little as 8 months and up to 24 months. During your time on the FTK9 waitlist, FTK9 and your medical care team may work together with you to ensure you are ready for your Service Dog.
Apply Here
FTK-9 applications are currently open.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to a large daily call volume we can not respond to inquiry calls and emails. Our website includes answers to all our most commonly asked questions.
We appreciate your understanding.
Fire Team K-9’s Inc. is a proud Service Dog provider for Wounded Warriors Canada and the Royal Canadian Legion, Ontario Command.