Canines for Service

Canines for Service Inc., provides people with disabilities independence and improved quality of life through the placement of quality trained service dogs. Founded in 1996, CFS has provided more than $ million in services including service dogs, pet therapy visitations and community education.

Canines for Service places service dogs with individuals who experience functional limitations due to a variety of disabling conditions, which include, but are not limited to the following: cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, spinal cord injury, stroke, severe heart conditions, arthritis, and ataxia or poor balance. The recipient must be able to control the dog verbally or with hand signals. We do not provide service dogs in the category of blindness, hearing impaired, autism, diabetic detection, or psychological disorders.

Today, CFS provides services within a 10-hour driving distance from Wilmington, NC for the civilian program and nationally for our veterans. The three phase training process takes up to three years and a fully trained service dog is valued at $40,000. The client does not pay a fee for a CFS service dog.

CFS is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, governed by a board of directors, and operates solely through grants, fundraising activities and charitable giving from individuals, church and civic groups and corporations.

The programs of Canines for Service includes:
• CANINES FOR SERVICE (service dog training) — providing people with mobility disabilities quality trained service dogs. Dogs are raised and trained by volunteer foster families to assist a person with a physical disability but are not limited to the following: cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, spinal cord injury, stroke, severe heart conditions, arthritis, and ataxia or poor balance.
• CANINES FOR VETERANS – a triple win program providing revitalization of the wounded warrior with the gift of a quality trained service dog, rehabilitation of the military prisoner through the education of training a service dog for a comrade, and rescue of shelter dogs giving them a new purpose in life
• COMMUNITY EDUCATION - committed to community education through schools, scouts, civic groups, and other venues regarding disability awareness and the role of service dogs for people with disabilities.
• CANINES FOR THERAPY - Offers pet owners of dogs the opportunity to become registered therapy teams to provide animal assisted therapy in hospitals, health care facilities, nursing homes, children's homes, schools, group homes and treatment facilities.
• CANINES FOR LITERACY (PAWS FUR READING) — The Canines for Literacy program provides children who currently read below grade level the opportunity to read to an animal assisted therapy team, to spark their interest, increase their enjoyment in reading and offer them the unconditional acceptance that only animals can provide.