Registered Canadian Charity • Serving Veterans & First Responders • Charity Number: 74127 1290 RR0001
Apply for a Service Dog in Canada
You can apply for a service dog in Canada through this page if you are a military veteran, a serving member or a first responder with a documented service-related injury. Read the eligibility criteria first — it is all here, so nobody has to explain themselves to a stranger to find out whether they qualify.
Applications
Acknowledged immediately
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Placements
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Check this before you start
Every criterion is published so you can decide for yourself. Nothing on this list is assessed by how severe things have become — it is about whether a trained dog would help and whether one can live well with you.
Who the program serves
Canadian military veterans, serving members, and first responders — police, fire, EMS and corrections.
A documented injury
A physical, sensory or psychological injury connected to your service, supported by clinical documentation.
A stable home
A living situation where a working dog can be housed, exercised and kept to a routine.
The means to care for a dog
The placement is funded; the ongoing cost of feeding and caring for the dog is yours.
Not sure?
Call before you fill in anything. The answer to 'does this apply to me' should take one conversation, not two days.
What happens after you apply
The process is published so the waiting has a shape to it. No part of it is designed to test how badly you want this.
Immediate acknowledgement
You get confirmation the moment the form is submitted, not two days later.
A person, within two business days
Someone reads the application and comes back to you.
Assessment and matching
Eligibility, your routine and your living situation, then matching on clinical and practical suitability.
Training together
Handler training, a probationary period, the public access test, then certification and recertification every three years.
Three ways to apply for a service dog in Canada
Which one fits depends on whether you already have a dog and how much of the training you want to do yourself. All three end at the same certification standard.
Trained Dog Program
A fully trained dog is placed with you.
Owner Trained Program
You train your own dog to the standard, with oversight and assessment.
Assisted Owner Trained Program
You train a dog already imprinted for the work.
What it costs you
Nothing for the placement itself. A dog costs $20,000 to $30,000 to train, certify and place, and that is funded by donors and corporate sponsors. You carry the ongoing cost of keeping the dog.
No fee to apply
Applying costs nothing and being turned down costs nothing.
If the answer is no
You will be told why, and pointed toward organisations that may be able to help instead.
You have read the criteria. If they describe you, the next step is yours.
Questions
Do I have to give my home address to ask a question?
No. The application needs it; a question does not. If you only want to ask something, call or send a short message.
Is there a cost to me?
No fee for the placement. Donors and corporate sponsors cover the $20,000 to $30,000 it costs to place a dog. You carry the ongoing cost of caring for it.
Are applications open right now?
Yes, applications are currently open.
What if my application is unsuccessful?
You will be told why, and given other organisations to approach. An unsuccessful application here does not mean no help exists.
Can I apply if I am still serving?
Yes. Serving members and serving first responders are both eligible.