Frequent Questions
Service Dog
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a Service Animal as a Dog individually trained to work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual's disability.
Assistance Dogs International, Inc. is the leading authority in the Assistance Dog industry, and it defines a Service Dog as a dog that works for individuals with disabilities other than blindness or deafness. Service dogs are trained to perform a wide variety of tasks, including but not limited to pulling a wheelchair, bracing, retrieving, alerting to a medical crisis, and providing assistance in a medical crisis.
Emotional Support Animal
An emotional support animal's sole function is to provide comfort, emotional support, and a sense of well-being, and it DOES NOT qualify as a service animal under the ADA. Emotional support animals are not trained to perform a specific job or task.
Owen Care is devoted to training and providing the highest quality service dogs dedicated to improving the independence and self-esteem of veterans and first responders with mobility with/without PTSD and children and adults with mobility impairments.
Owen Care undergoes a rigorous 22-month individualized training program meticulously designed to cater to the unique needs of their future handlers.
Service Dog training starts with basic dog training. After one year, each dog is paired with a future handler, marking the start of personalized training tailored to individual needs. Ongoing communication between trainers and handlers ensures a customized approach as dogs grow, mature, and acquire specific skills. For further details, refer to this website's "Our Dogs" section.
For Veterans and First Responders, our service dogs are free of charge. If you are a veteran or a first responder looking for a mobility service dog, please go to our website's “Who We Serve” section for further details and specific qualification requirements.
For adults and children facing mobility difficulties needing a mobility assistance service dog, Owen Care is committed to working with you to meet your distinctive financial needs. While clients have the option to pay out of pocket, we understand that financial assistance may be necessary. Owen Care will collaborate with you to help you raise the required funds. Our personalized support includes guiding you through creating a fundraising campaign and rallying contributions from your family, friends, and social networks. Together, we can develop a plan to collectively cover the expenses associated with acquiring your service dog.
The annual cost can vary, AND it CAN RANGE ANYWHERE FROM $500-$1700
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Veterinary Care includes routine check-ups, vaccinations, and any necessary medical treatments can range from $200-800 annually
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Quality dog food can cost between $200 and $600 annually.
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Grooming can range anywhere from $100-$300 annually
The Assistance Dog Special Allowance (ADSA) program provides a monthly payment of $50 to eligible persons to help them with their disability-related needs. The allowance is to help pay the costs of food, grooming, and health care for the dog. Go to our Resource page in our website to find a link
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We do NOT train personal dogs to be service dogs. Please refer to the Assistance Dogs International website to find an organization that can assist you evaluating your dog to become a service dog.
We don’t. Most of our service dogs are Labrador Retrievers. Our dogs are chosen based on specific genetic predispositions, temperament, physical attributes, and personalities that maximize their success and longevity in performing their duties as service dogs. For more information, please consult this website's “Our Dogs” section.
The dog's success is based on establishing a meaningful and strong bond with its handler. Positive reinforcement, daily care, exercise, rest, affection, and lots of love are crucial and necessary for a healthy and successful working relationship and life together. Service dogs are well trained, but it's important to remember they are living, breathing beings with distinct physical, emotional, and mental health needs, just like humans.
It is important to note that as service dogs continue to learn and adapt to their handler's needs, handlers should also stay informed about new training techniques or updates that could enhance the effectiveness of their partnership.
Collaboration and adherence to specific rules and routines regarding the service dog are paramount for other family members living in the same household. Similar to humans, a lack of exercise and structure can confuse the dog, and like humans, dogs thrive on predictability.
Our goal is to guarantee the well-being of the service dog at every stage of its life journey, spanning from graduation and productive working years to a fulfilling retirement and beyond into old age. we emphasize the importance of the handler and the service dog growing together and developing a strong, beautiful, and effective partnership.
We strive daily to achieve long-lasting positive outcomes by upholding our dogs' health, safety, and training standards and by creating a profound understanding and trust-based connection with each handler.
Service Dog fraud is “Anyone who knowingly and fraudulently represents themselves, through verbal or written notice, to be the owner or trainer of any canine licensed, or identified, as a guide, signal, or service dog.”
Misrepresenting a pet as a service dog is considered fraud, and it could be punishable by law. Misrepresenting a pet undermines the integrity of a system designed to assist individuals with disabilities. It is important to respect the rights and needs of individuals with disabilities and uphold the principles of honesty and integrity in representing the use of service animals.