• I am a
veteran that has served in the Iraq/Afghanistan
conflict
• I am a resident of CA
• I have an adequate support system of family
and friends
• I am physically and financially able to take
care of a dog in a safe and loving environment
• I am currently in treatment for PTSD and have
been for at least 8 consecutive months
• I can provide a referral from a licensed
psychiatric clinician (VA or private)
• I maintain a regular schedule that includes
outings to places such as work, school, or
shopping and restaurants.
• I like and want a dog to be with me all of the
time
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All of our
Service Dogs are Certified for public places. They are
trained to the tasks listed below. Any additional tasks
that we may train for a veteran are discussed during the
in-home interview.
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•
Cover Me: Dogs are trained to move in
front of the veteran to create a spatial
boundary between the veteran and public
• Watch my back: Dogs are taught to turn,
sit and face what is behind the veteran. This
command creates a sense of safety and security.
• Balance: Where balance is affected by
medication or a TBI, our dogs are taught to
stand and hold still when they feel any weight
applied to their shoulder and back. A veteran
with balance challenges is taught how to use
their dog to regain balance again.
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About
Service Dogs for Veterans:
PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can develop after
exposure to any events that result in psychological
trauma. Studies show that 1 in 5 veterans returning from
Iraq and Afghanistan have PTSD. Over the last 7 years,
an estimated 20% or over 300,000 veterans has PTSD.
The Sam Simon Foundation launched its Service Dog
program in response to the growing need of veterans
coping with PTSD as a result of the Iraq/Afghanistan
conflict. A Service Dog is not a cure for PTSD, but
whose skills and companionship can be an aid for
managing the symptoms and promoting well-being .
Our dogs are specially selected from local shelters
based on their temperament and breed. Most of our
Service Dogs will be retrievers or retriever types. They
are generally between 1-2 years old at the time of their
placement. Some may be more energetic than others and so
the exercise requirement will vary from dog to dog.
Their training time with us is approximately 5-6 months.
About 1 out of every 4 dogs will make it through the
training to graduation. Dogs that do not complete
training are placed for adoption locally and are coined
“Career Change Dogs”.
Because we also provide Hearing Dogs to people deaf and
hard of hearing, we are only able to place a very small
number of Service Dogs. Therefore, we can only select
those applicants that demonstrate the most need as well
as have a lifestyle and support system suitable for a
dog. However, any applicant that we must decline, we
will refer to other agencies.
There is no fee to receive a trained Service Dog. All
funding for this program is provided for by Sam Simon.
Is a
Service Dog right for you?
While a Service Dog is rewarding for many, it isn’t
going to be the answer for everyone. A lot of
consideration needs to be given to the amount of time,
ability and finances needed to take care of a dog.
Having a Service Dog not only means daily training, but
also daily exercise as well as a consistent routine.
Exercise might include a daily walk of at least a mile,
a game of retrieve or a good romp at the dog park. They
need to be able to eat a high quality food and get out
at least 3 or more times a day to relieve themselves.
A Service Dog is with his or her partner most of every
day, going into the work place, school or stores. It is
only natural that Service Dogs will attract the interest
and attraction of the public. They will be curious when
they see a working dog and want to know more about what
they do. Veterans with a Service Dog should be prepared
for these types of encounters and may even want to
prepare a response in anticipation.
Veterans that live with family members or friends need
their cooperation and support with a Service Dog. Are
all members of the household willing to live with a dog
in the home? Do they all like being around dogs? Are
they willing to comply with the guidelines established
by The Sam Simon Foundation with regard to the care and
behavior of a Service Dog? We are not able to place a
Service Dog in a home where there are allergies to dogs.
All of our Service Dogs will shed fur and none would be
considered hypo-allergenic.
Most of our Service Dogs are still adolescents and may
make mistakes with their house manners or training. They
may need gentle reminders of household rules as well as
practice in their obedience commands and tasks. This
will require patience and a positive attitude.
The
Application Process:
Our application is available to be downloaded at the
bottom of this page. If you are not able to print it
out, please phone our office and we will be happy to
mail one. Any information that you share with us will be
kept confidential and not shared with anyone that you
have not given us permission to do so.
Once we receive your application, you will be sent (2)
personal reference forms and at least (1) Medical
History Form to be given to your mental health provider
and will serve as your referral. Additional Medical
Forms that may be sent will be for health care
professionals that currently treat you.
Once we receive your referrals and reports by mail, we
will contact you if we will be able to consider your
application for an in-home interview.
If you do receive an in-home interview, we will
carefully review it to determine if one of our dogs is
able to be helpful for you. If you are accepted for one
of our Service Dogs, we will place you on our wait list
which can be up to a one year wait. If we are not able
to accept your application to our wait list, we will
refer you to other agencies.
If you are matched with a Service Dog, an in-home
placement will be scheduled with you and can range
between 3-5 days. If you live locally to Malibu, some of
that orientation may be done at the Foundation prior to
a trainer working with you in your home. Following
placement, there will be regular follow up scheduled
that may be done in writing, over the phone and in
person. Follow up is ongoing during the life of your dog
and vital to your success as a team.
