APPLY FOR A DOG

Paws 4 Liberty provides service dogs for veterans and other individuals with disabilities.  Service dogs perform functional or emotional tasks for people who otherwise could not do these things for themselves.   They are highly trained assistance dogs, not companion animals.

We make every effort to turn around your application quickly; however, not everyone who wants a dog will qualify.  We say that not to discourage you, but to help avoid disappontment.  To work with your new canine partner, you must be able to:

• Speak and give cues to the dog; correct or praise him as necessary
  
• Walk, feed, groom, and exercise him daily
  
• Attend to and afford his regular veterinary care, including but not limited to heartworm medication and flea and tick control throughout his life span
  
• Have tolerance for the things dogs do: eliminate urine and feces, which will need to be picked up; shed; chew, lick skin (give kisses)

Ownership of a dog usually costs at least $1,500 per year; you may find that your expenses are much higher.  Bear in mind that you will care for your partner during his geriatric years and also eventually arrange for his humane euthanasia; whether you can pay for these retirement years, and these final expenses, while sad to mention, should factor into your decision.

Once you are accepted, we will either put you on a waiting list for a dog, match you with a dog in training, or pair you with a dog ready to go home.  You must work with us for at least ten days to ensure that you are able to give your prospective dog commands and manage his care. 

We will only graduate dog/handler teams that can safely and effectively handle and care for the dog on their own or with the assistance of a facilitator or training assistant.   We ask that you follow up with us every two months for the first year following placement of a service dog in your home. You may also find follow-up visits beneficial as your physical and/or emotional needs change.


Minor Children
Children younger than ten years of age are usually not old enough to handle a dog at the level required of an assistance dog or understand the higher level concepts of service dog training.  Although we are happy to work with minor children in animal-assisted therapy, and will place a dog in a home for a minor child, there must be at least one parent responsible for the dog at home and on public outings at all times.  Paws 4 Liberty makes no guarantee as to the safety of the minor child in his or her interactions with the dog, nor can we promise that the dog will deter or attract interaction with friends or strangers.  Under no circumstances is a minor child to take out a Paws 4 Liberty dog without parental supervision.

What We Can and Cannot Do
Paws 4 Liberty does not train guide dogs for the blind or hearing-impaired; psychiatric service dogs without predefined tasks for how they will provide aid and comfort; dogs that will respond aggressively on cue to people or other dogs or to provide personal protection; to assist with the management of mental illness as a primary condition without predefined, trainable tasks for how our dog might manage this condition.

How to Apply
(At this time, Paws 4 Liberty is evaluating applications only from residents of Palm Beach County, Florida.)

1. Complete the online application request form (available here). Only those who qualify will be contacted by Paws 4 Liberty.  Estimated contact time: 1-3 days.
   
2. An application packet will be mailed to you within 2-3 weeks. Review the material with the application. Complete and return the application to us.  A non-refundable application review fee of $50 is required.
   
3. Once the application materials are received and reviewed, if appropriate, we will contact you to schedule a telephone interview.
   
4. If we are mutually satisfied with the telephone interview, we will contact you for a personal interview. This interview will be conducted in comfortable surroundings on our property.
   
5. If appropriate, we will conduct a home visit to ensure the dog's comfort and safety.
   
6. After the personal interview and/or home visit, we will determine if you are a candidate for our service dog program.
   
7. Once accepted, you will be updated monthly about the status of your dog in training and your progress towards partnership with that dog.  Bear in mind that some dogs do not make it through service dog training; you may have to wait until the right dog for you completes his education.  Although you will be involved in your dog's handling, training, and socialization throughout the process, the time it takes from initial application to placement may range from one to two years.
   

Please keep in mind that your application may be denied at any point during the application process.

We prohibit discrimination based on race, color, creed, gender, religion, marital status, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition including genetic characteristics, pregnancy, sexual orientation, citizenship status, military service status, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state or local laws.

If for any reason a Paws 4 Liberty dog does not work out, he or she must be returned to us. He may not be placed with another individual, including friends or family, or donated to another organization, rescue group, or city or private shelter.