Our Assistance Dogs are delivered free of charge.
We train puppies to become Assistance Dogs, who will be life partners for people with functional diversity, such as children with autism spectrum disorders, neuromuscular diseases, deafness, among others.
An Assistance Dog is individually trained to perform tasks that increase the autonomy and quality of life of the disabled person.
The person wishing to apply to become a service dog user can start the process in two ways, specifying their particular situation:
1. express their intention to apply for an Assistance Dog;
2. Send a medical certificate describing your medical condition;
3. Start the process to obtain the Multipurpose Disability Certificate (you must submit the certificate by the end of the process to obtain the Assistance Dog);
4. If the candidate is a minor, the parents must agree;
5. After some time, the family will be called in for an interview with our Health Professionals;
6. If the process is approved, an Instructor will be chosen to start working directly with the person who will benefit from the Assistance Dog;
7. If approved, and the beneficiary is a minor, the family will benefit from a set of Animal Assisted Interventions, with the aim of verifying whether there is added value for the minor beneficiary;
8. After the Health Professional's report, it will be decided whether the case will go forward to the Instructor or not;
9. When the Instructor considers that the Dog is ready for the next phase, the Coupling will begin;
10. At the end of the coupling there will be a theoretical and practical exam which, if successfully passed, will allow the Assistance Dog contract to be signed.
We will provide constant monitoring and will always be available to help resolve any obstacles that may arise.
Please note that food and veterinary costs are the responsibility of the recipient of the Assistance Dog.
ÂNIMAS educates Assistance Dogs:
Service dogs that help people with motor disabilities;
Service dogs for children with autism spectrum disorders;
Epilepsy alert service dogs;
Service dogs for people with post-traumatic stress;
Diabetes alert service dogs.
Dogs for the deaf that indicate sound sources to people with hearing disabilities.
Impact of Assistance Dogs on the lives of beneficiaries
Through the satisfaction surveys, we are able to gauge the benefits that the Assistance Dog has added to the user's life. Greater inclusion in society, greater ease in dealing with obstacles and feeling happier are some of the points highlighted by users.
Costs of an Assistance Dog
The costs are supported by donations and cover various items, such as:
the purchase of the puppy, food, veterinary expenses, examinations, insurance, education/instruction and coupling, and may exceed 24 thousand euros.
Did you know that you can become the sponsor of an Assistance Dog?
Foster families
Foster families are fundamental in the process of raising an assistance dog. It is with them that the puppies will spend the first year of their lives, a decisive stage in the socialization of the future Assistance Dog.