Paws and Affection’s mission is to train and place service, facility, and companion dogs with young people who have a range of disabilities in the greater Philadelphia area and to educate the public about service dogs and their role in the community.
Our dogs are not trained as guide dogs for people who are blind, hearing assistance dogs, seizure alert dogs, or autism support dogs.
Eligibility Requirements
- Child lives in a stable home environment where the emotional, physical, and financial needs of the working dog will be met.
- Child possesses sufficient cognitive functioning and is mature enough to actively participate in the training and learning process with the dog.
- If the household has a pet(s), P&A will assess if the environment is suitable for a P&A working dog on a case-by-case basis.
- All parents/legal guardians and household members are agreeable to having a working dog for the child. They all agree to be active participants in facilitating the success of the child/dog team as well as the safety and well-being of the dog.
Application Criteria
- Child has been diagnosed with a physical disability, a psychiatric disability, type 1 diabetes, and/or another health condition that causes functional limitations.
- Child is within Paws and Affection age requirements at the time of applying:
- General Service Dog – 9 through 20 years old
- Diabetic Alert Dog – Under 21 years old
- Companion Dog – Under 21 years old
- Child lives within a 1 hour driving distance of Merion, PA 19066 and can provide own transportation to and from our facility.
- Child is able to communicate verbally or with a speech generating device.
- Child has no known allergies to dogs.
- Child lives in a smoke-free household.