OCEANSIDE, California –Canine Companions’ Graduation Ceremony on August 9th marked an exciting milestone for Canine Companions. During the graduation, where clients are paired with their service dogs, the organization placed their 8,000th service dog team. Since the organization’s founding in 1975, when Canine Companions established the modern service dog model, their enduring mission has been to enhance independence and confidence for individuals with disabilities. This remarkable achievement underscores Canine Companions’ dedication to their life-changing mission.
During the ceremony Canine Companions paired the 8,000th graduating team in its history – Dr. Anjali Forber-Pratt and Service Dog Cabo.
Forber-Pratt was born in Kolkata, India, and adopted by her parents as an infant before contracting transverse myelitis. This left her with paralysis requiring the use of a wheelchair. An avid adaptive athlete, Forber-Pratt represented Team USA in wheelchair racing at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games, earning two bronze medals, and the 2012 London Paralympic Games. She is the Director of Research for the American Association on Health.
Cabo is trained to retrieve dropped items from coins to groceries, and specifically assists Forber-Pratt by bringing her wheelchair back if it rolls out of reach – something that often occurs when she’s not seated in her wheelchair.
“Being team number 8,000 for Canine Companions is a tremendous honor,” Forber-Pratt says. “The future is bright for Canine Companions to help match more service dog teams and to encourage individuals to continue to live their best lives.”
Forber-Pratt was among the 65 teams graduating, along with 186 puppies entering professional training, in six ceremonies happening across the country. After each graduation, a new group of puppies begin their training at one of Canine Companions’ six training centers to become the next graduating class of service dogs.
“As the organization that pioneered the service dog model for individuals with physical disabilities nearly 50 years ago, the placement of Canine Companions’ 8,000th team is a remarkable achievement. We take immense pride in the fact that Canine Companions has transformed the lives of thousands of individuals with disabilities, providing them with best-in-class service dogs whose training is tailored to support their unique needs. This milestone team is truly inspiring and is possible because of the years of hard work and support from volunteers, donors, clients and our amazing staff.” said Paige Mazzoni, CEO of Canine Companions.
To prepare for their essential roles, Canine Companions service dogs are nurtured by loving volunteer canine caretakers before spending 18 months with dedicated puppy raisers across the country. Each dog then undergoes six months of professional training, where they learn up to 45 skills, including retrieving items, pulling wheelchairs, and providing support for individuals experiencing PTSD.
After going through a thorough application and interview process, individuals with disabilities participate in a two-week Team Training class. During this time, they are matched with a service dog that meets their specific needs, resulting in an impressive 98% success rate in human-canine partnerships. This ensures that their clients receive effective support that significantly improves their quality of life.
The investment for each service dog and ongoing support exceeds $50,000 but because of Canine Companions’ generous donors, clients never incur any costs for these incredible partnerships.
Watch the recordings of Canine Companions’ six graduation ceremonies at canine.org/graduation.
