Special naming a future Assistance Dog puppy is a unique way to pay tribute to a member of your family, a dear friend or to commemorate a special occasion, while making a difference in the lives of people with and without disabilities by supporting The Ability Center.
Special Name a Puppy with Your Contribution of $5,000
Assistance dogs can be trained to either be a service dog, skilled companion dog, or school facility dog. Service dogs are trained to assist people with disabilities in living more independently. Skilled Companion dogs (formerly known as Therapy dogs) provide support and companionship to children and adults with developmental disabilities. School Facility dogs comfort students in counseling settings, help improve student motivation and social skills.
Guidelines for naming an Assistance Dog puppy:
- Names that are easy to say and not too long
- Fit within a litter theme
- Inappropriate names will not be approved as our graduates will be repeating his/her name on a daily basis.
By special naming a puppy, you and/or a loved one will receive:
- A Personalized Naming Certificate and photo of your special named pup
- Three updates and photos of your pup during the puppy raising period
- Notification of acceptance into formal assistance dog training program and an update during training
And if the puppy completes the program, we will provide:
- Announcement of placement
- Invitation to the graduation ceremony, if applicable
- A graduation photograph of your dog, a copy of the program, and recognition in Graduation slide show
While we hope all puppies will complete the training program, there is no guarantee that your special named puppy will complete training to become an assistance dog. The Ability Center believes each dog chooses its own career path, and not all dogs will choose the path to be an assistance dog. Dogs may be selected to become part of our elite breeding stock, others are released and enter alternate service dog careers such as scent detection dogs, or find wonderful homes with adoptive families. Only one Assistance Dog puppy will be named per special name request regardless of outcome. Since each litter is assigned names according to a themed litter there may be a delay in the naming of the puppy.
We invest up to $70,000 on each placed dog, which includes training, vet costs, food, and equipment. Every dollar we receive helps us fund these expenses, train more dogs, and create a bigger impact.
If you are interested in fully or partially sponsoring a dog, including a unique opportunity for individual and corporate sponsorships for our school facility dogs, contact Nick Vargas Director of Development, 419-885-5733x 350.
