Canine Companions Assistance Dog Team Sponsorship

2015 is a special year for Canine Companions for Independence.  We turned 40 years old on Independence Day, and have much to celebrate this year.  Highlights include the construction of the South Central Region Center in Irving, Texas, which will be completed this fall, numerous campaigns that have increased awareness of our orgranization, the growth of DogFest Walk 'n Rolls, placing assistance dogs with veterans with PTSD, and placing over 230 assistance dogs so far this year.  

With several Team Trainings remaining this year, we anticipate that our assistance dog placement goal will not only be met, but exceeded by a significant margin.  Today, we have over 2,000 active graduate teams, and over the course of four decades, over 4,800 assistance dogs have been placed.  While much has changed over the course of four decades, one thing has not, and that is our assistance dogs and follow-up services to our graduates are provided free of charge. 

The support we receive provides assistance dogs to individuals like Bruce.  He is a three-time graduate, currently partnered with Takoda.  Bruce shares "I couldn't have found a better partner or friend."  Takoda has given me a sense of security that I didn't have prior to receiving a service dog."

Canine Companions also provides assistance dogs to Veterans with disabilities, through the Wounded Veterans Initiative.  One veteran who has benefited from having an assistance dog is Justin, who is partnered with Service Dog Gnome.  Justin lost both of his legs while deployed in Afghanistan.  He stated " I haven't let my injuries slow me down.  I still try to do everything I did before.  There's nothing I can do to change the past.  It's not going to bring my legs back.  I'm not going to sit around and mope about it.  That's what Gnome is for -- to help me move on and strive to do my best."

Canine Companions graduates are extraordinary people, and thanks to friend who support us, we're able to enhance the lives of adults, children and veterans with disabilities.  We look forward to providing more assistance dogs in 2015 and beyond. 

On July 4, Canine Companions for Independence celebrates 40 years of providing highly trained assistance dogs and follow-up services free of charge to children, adults and veterans with disabilities.  In four decades, over 4,700 assistance dogs have been placed, including over 160 in 2015.  There are 2,000 active graduate teams today.

In 2015, we have already held 16 Team Trainings and graduation ceremonies.  We're on tract to reach, and likely exceed our placement goal again this year.  In addition, we've held numerous puppy raising work shops and volunteer appreciation events.  Our volunteers mean so much to us, as we couldn't do what we do without the support of over 3,000 volunteers across the country.

Our sixth center, located in Irving, Texas is under construction.  We anticipate that our newest center will be open in the fall.  The new center will afford us the opportunity to serve people with disabilities in the state of Texas.

We're spreading the word about our organization in a number of ways, and are reaching out to more people through our DogFest Walk 'n Rolls, which are being held throughout the country.  To learn more about DogFest and how you can participate, visit us at cci.org.

Bari, a four time Canine Companions graduate shared "Having a dog by my side makes me feel like I really can do anything." 

We look forward to helping more people like Bari in 2015 and beyond. 

• 2014 Annual Report (PDF)