Founded: 1991

The Assistance Dog Institute is a service dog organization with a unique mission: We not only train and place service dogs, we train service dog trainers and educate our students and our community about the human-dog partnership. We are constantly discovering new methods for Helping Dogs Help People!

In the past 30 years, service dogs have dramatically transformed the lives of individuals with disabilities. These wonderful dogs assist their partners with daily tasks such as picking up hard-to-reach items, opening doors, pulling wheelchairs, and providing balance support. The dogs also provide companionship and often serve as social icebreakers. Unfortunately, there are not enough service dogs for all the people who need them!

Many individuals with disabilities must wait for years to get a service dog. Graduates of the Institute have founded dozens of service dog training programs, reducing the waiting time for service dogs. In 1991, before the Institute was founded, people with disabilities typically waited 5 to 7 years for a service dog. Now, most service dog organizations’ waiting lists are about 1 to 3 years. It’s an improvement, but there is still a great need for more — more trainers, more organizations, more service dogs. The Institute’s programs address all of these needs — a contribution to the Assistance Dog Institute is a contribution to the growth and success of the entire service dog industry.

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