ECAD’s mission of providing highly skilled Service Dogs to increase mobility and independence for people living with disabilities manifests itself in a variety of programs and services. Each one designed to meet the needs of a specific population: Veterans, persons living with disabilities, children as young as two with Autism and facilities.
ECAD does not discriminate applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, genetic information, age, or other non-merit factor.
Core Programs:
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Open Doors
ECAD’s core program whereby Assistance Dogs are educated to prepare them for a career as a Service or Facility Dog.
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What are Service Dogs?ECAD Service Dogs have helped over 300 disabled clients with over 50 different disabilities. Some of these disabilities include but are not limited to Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, Sleep Apnea, Friedreich's Ataxia, Vertigo, Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, and Spinal Cord Injuries.
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Facility DogsECAD Facility Dogs, who can be found in hospitals, nursing homes, courthouses, etc., have helped thousands of distressed individuals.
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Canine Magic
Specially educated Service Dogs assist children with autism - some as young as two years old - to build emotional bonding, cognitive development, socialization, and safety.
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Project HEAL™Our Project HEAL program is designed to meet the needs of Veterans living with physical injuries, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and/or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Specifically educated Service Dogs help ward off panic attacks, provide a physical barrier in public places, and/or provide mobility and retrieval assistance.
Client’s Bill of Rights
ECAD (Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities) provides specialized training for individuals with disabilities, preparing them and ECAD dogs for certification as Service Dog Teams. Upon acceptance as a client of ECAD, certain obligations must be met. The client’s goal in applying is to become an ECAD certified Team. In order to maintain the high standards required by ECAD, these expectations can be achieved only if the client fulfills their responsibilities. Read More