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Florida Service Dogs, Inc. was founded in February 1999. We are a
small IRS 501c3 approved Florida non profit corporation that has no paid employees. We rely solely on our qualified volunteers
and your donations. We do not receive federal, state or grant dollars. Our professionally trained service animals are
free to qualified persons of any age with severe impairments who complete our program requirements. We have several
options available for obtaining one of our professionally trained service animals such as attending our public classes, entering
our foster training program, individual home sessions, and the 2week team training course which may be split up over a period
of time up to a year. Regardless of what services you receive every team will be required to under go the same training
materials and evaluations prior to obtaining formal certification. We also provide businesses, agencies and landlord/tenants
with informal and formal power point presentations in hopes of educating their staff regarding the appropriate federal
and state laws that apply to their operation regarding the use of service animals. We also work with qualified owner trained
service animal teams who are able to attend our local classes. We also allow persons with disabilities and
those wanting to use their animal as a therapy animal to attend regardless of what program they may be affiliated with
already or wanting to join. Persons unable to attend are assisted on a case by case basis when funding and time
permits us to do so. We also provide live demonstrations to groups, schools, library programs, businesses etc.
Our Mission
While Florida Service Dogs, Inc. provides education, advocacy and professionally
trained service animals for qualified persons with disabilities, we also provide dogs for several other settings such as;
foster training situations where a qualified person with a disability applies to foster the possible match for their needs
and upon approval the person takes the dog home to live with and care for the animal providing food, water, shelter, continued
training by attending training classes and public outings, socialization and companionship/bonding and toys.
Florida Service Dogs, Inc. still retains full ownership of the foster dog and maintains the vet care for the animal during
the foster placement. We also provide therapy dogs (provide comfort to others such as nursing home visits), companion
dogs (trained for in home use only), social dogs (trained pet to provide a reason for persons to get out and about),
facility dogs (trained dogs that live in group settings such as live in nursing home, or kids camps, orphanages etc.) for
qualified applicants. Except for the foster dogs, none of these listed animals have the same legal protections as a service
animal does. Additional services available include; P.A.K. Leader program (pawsitive action kids' leader program) where
we teach kids to train dogs, including kids with disabilities. We work with at risk juveniles by teaching them
behavior modification through the use of out of control dogs, and will provide therapy reading programs, as well as having
volunteered during the Charlie, Francis and Katrina hurricanes to provide k9 disaster animal/human relief work on site.
Certification
Florida Service Dogs, Inc. is not a membership organization. While we do
have "certified" service animal teams that have completed our extensive application process which includes several
evaluations, many hours of training hands on training sessions and public access and skills testing requirements.
We will work with those persons who are physically, financially and mentally able to care and control a service animal, and
though we think everyone should have a service animal, they are not for everyone. We will attempt to provide anyone
who is interested in learning about service animal uses, legal rights and responsibilities with the education and advocacy
they request. Please keep in mind, though we and many other organizations provide certification of our teams, nothing in the
law requires certification or proof of the animals training nor the proof of the persons disability for access under the American's
with Disabilities Act.
Wish List - Purina One Lamb and Rice dry dog food or coupons
- paper towels
- bleach
- leather leashes
- gift cards
for clients who cant afford items
- gas gift cards for
ours and clients travels
- metal bowls
- metal crates
- vet assistance
- flea, tick, and heart worm products
- fill dirt
- portable buildings for storage
- metal covered awnings for coverage for the dogs
- 6 ft chainlink and board on board wood fencing to complete our shaded acreage area for the dogs to run.
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Please note that the process to obtaining a service animal is a very long tedious process and not something that happens over
night. A service animal is not a choice for everyone. You must like dogs and be able to deal with the issues (physically, mentally
and financially) surrounding them in order to obtain, train and maintain a service animal. You must also be able
to take the mental and physical abuse from the public that comes with owning a service animal. You also must be able to be
a confident leader to your dog through stressfull situations. You must understand that not everyone supports
or understands your reasons for having a service animal with you every where you go in public. The public expects a service
animal to act and look like a professionally trained, well mannered, well groomed and properly dressed service animal. Florida Service Dogs, Inc. does not breed
or sell our dogs. We are not a rescue organization, though our mission includes saving dogs that may have been put to
sleep. We do use animals that come from many agencies to include our own Jacksonville's Animal Care and Protective
Services, Humane Societies, rescue groups, or owner surrenders. Our goal is to evaluate, train and place them with
qualified clients with disabilities. We spend a lot of time evaluating and searching for the "right"
dog to train as a service animal and though all dogs are trainable not all are suitable for public service animal work.
If you find yourself looking for a pet, we suggest you go to Jacksonville's Animal Care and Protective Services located at
2020 Forest Blvd. Jax, Fl 32219 first as those animals are in danger of being put to sleep. If you need assistance
in picking out the right dog for your family situation please feel free to contact us and we will assist you in your search.
Since Florida Service Dogs,
Inc. pays for the vetting for any dog we take into our kennels, we are no longer able financially to take in dogs
of any ages that have not already been spayed/nuetered and fully vetted with proof of up to date records or the donation
funds to cover those vet costs when the animal is old enough to do so. We have searched high and low and have tried
many high end quality dog food for our dogs in training, and have settled with Purina One Lamb and Rice and Puppy formulas.
We spend enormous amounts of money for the feeding, vetting and care of our dogs and donations of any amount or in kind donations
work just as well and are greatly appreciated! Please see our wish list!
The ARC of Jacksonville has graciously donated the space to hold our service animal classes as well as donated
3 rooms for our office, advanced training and storage space. Please join us on Mondays and/or Thursdays from
6pmish til 9pmish at 4401 Wesconnett Blvd. Jacksonville, FL. We are inside the building around the back entrance.
For further information please contact Florida Service Dogs, Inc. at 1 800 549 2600. We have a new relationship with Disability Solutions, Inc. center
at 119 South Palmetto Ave. who is also a huge supporter and sponsor of Florida Service Dogs, Inc. They provide
us with the ability to extend our service animal training classes in Daytona Beach, Florida for their qualified
applicants. If you are interested in attending these classes in Daytona you will need to contact Disability Solutions.
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