Freedom Service Dogs
Freedom Service Dogs is a Denver, Colorado–based charitable organization devoted to rescuing dogs and training them as service dogs for people with disabilities that include multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, spinal-cord injury, PTSD, and more. The organisation is notable for its activities in providing assistance dogs to US veterans - one of the few such services that uses only rescued dogs. Background. FSD is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1987 by Michael and P.J. Roche. Freedom Service Dogs is an accredited and voting member of Assistance Dogs International, which sets and promotes  standards and ethics for assistance dog training organizations all over the world. FSD has partnered with the United States Veterans Administration to adopt dogs from animal shelters and train them to provide assistance dogs for veterans, part of a program by the VA to make the provision of an assistance dog an integrated part of treatment plans. In addition, FSD has partnered with the Peak Military Care Network to help provide service dogs to veterans. Training. The majority of animals entering the program are unwanted and/or abandoned dogs rescued from animal shelters. Each dog undergoes a comprehensive health assessment and  a behavioral/training assessment. Dogs are then assigned a trainer and begin the 9- to 12-month training program. Service dogs are trained to increase independence for people with disabilities. Each dog is matched to a specific client and custom trained according to his or her individual needs. Dogs can be trained to assist a client in their mobility, as well as retrieving items, fetching help, operating simple equipment (push a light switch or alert button). The dog also provides company, and can comfort their owner during nightmares or flashbacks.