ALL AMERICAN ASSISTANCE DOGS

In 2020 our goal is to increase the number of veterans with service-dogs in training and graduating service dog teams. Our goal is also to help all of our Veteran-Service Dog teams through these trying times.

We are accomplishing our goals in four ways:
1. Increasing our outreach to veteran support groups and counselors for veterans with PTSD to identify more veterans that qualify and are interested in receiving service dogs.
2. Increasing our puppy finding efforts, as the puppies must be of the proper temperament and each potential puppy is tested over a one-hour time period.
3. Increase our efforts to obtain funding to support these efforts.
4. Keeping touch with all of our Veterans and their families. Doing our best to support them through these times of social isolation.

All American Assistance Dogs has an all volunteer board. We have increased the number of volunteers and have dedicated individuals to find reach out to veterans and their support groups, puppies, find foster families, and find additional funding. We have increased the capacity of experienced, professional training to have sufficient resources to provide all training needed. We have a core group of board members and volunteers who are reaching out to our Veterans and helping them in any way we can.

There are so many more veterans in western Washington state that have PTSD, TBI or similar that would benefit from a service dog. We need to increase our outreach and capacity to reach and serve those veterans.

Additionally, one of our veterans has now become partially paralyzed and the service dog needs to receive considerable training to be able to be of service to his veteran, in addition to the support he already provides. Others face other medical challenges and we are providing support to the Veteran, family and service dog to help them maintain their connection during medical intervention. When the Veterans return home, helping them, their families and Service Dogs resume the connection and training.