National Service Dogs 4.4

National Service Dogs is an accredited member of Assistance Dogs International (ADI), the international administrative body which sets the standards and establishes the guidelines and ethics for the training of service dogs. As members of ADI, our dogs must pass strict temperament training and public access testing to become certified, and are provided to clients free of charge.

National Service Dogs (NSD) was founded in 1996 as a response to the increasing need for effective interventions in the treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder. In its inaugural year, NSD singularly launched the world’s first Service Dog for Autism program, establishing an effective and customized resolution to alleviate the bolting behaviors, anxiety and resulting effects in children living with autism. NSD was responsible for the establishment of international service dog programs in Australia, Ireland, Spain, the United States, Canada and more, and remains the benchmark for this field of Assistance Dog programming worldwide.

2011 saw the establishment of NSD’s Service Dogs for Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD) program for Canadian Military veterans with PTSD. This distinguished program has been a catalyst in the treatment of Canadian veterans and has played a crucial role in the rehabilitation and recovery of veterans living with PTSD. NSD continues to be the only Assistance Dogs International accredited organization in Canada offering this program.

As an innovator and international pioneer in the field of service dog training and placement, NSD has always sought to find new ways to expand our programming to a broader market in order to impact more individuals. As a response to this desire, NSD launched our Canine Assisted Intervention (CAI) program in the Spring of 2013, the first of its kind in Ontario. CAI places service dogs with treatment professionals, working as therapy teams to aid in the recovery of abuse, trauma and physical injuries in children and adults.

Since its inception, NSD has continued to respond to the needs of an ever changing demographic of individuals living with an assortment of physical and developmental disorders. Since 2009, the Companion Dog program has successfully responded to the specific needs of over 120 individuals across Canada to enable them to cope with their unique challenges.

National Service Dogs is accredited by Imagine Canada’s Standards Program. Imagine Canada, the umbrella for Canadian charities and non-profits, launched the Standards Program in May of 2012. Accreditation is awarded to charities that can demonstrate excellence in five key areas: board governance; financial accountability and transparency; fundraising; staff management and volunteer involvement.