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Welcome To Saint Francis Service Dogs Welcome to Saint Francis Service Dogs. Saint Francis Service Dogs was formed in 1996 as a secular, community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation in Roanoke, Virginia, to raise and train service dogs for individuals with physical and/or emotional disabilities, enabling them to become more independent and self-sufficient through partnership with a service dog. Saint Francis places 7-10 dogs a year in the state of Virginia. It takes two years to train a service dog and costs up to $20,000 per service dog. We provide our dogs free of charge to qualified candidates. Presently, our waiting list is capped at twenty adults and children. Some will wait for up to five years, because we are committed to finding the right dog for each person and training extensively to make the partnership as strong as possible. There are many more people waiting for an opening so that they may have an opportunity to apply. Their diagnoses include autism, cerebral palsy, joint and/or muscular diseases, neurological disorders, spinal cord and/or brain injury and other disabling conditions. Saint Francis Service Dogs assist people with physical tasks, allowing their partners to be more independent. At the same time, their 24-hour companionship provides the safety and peace of mind that comes from knowing that the dog can both provide physical assistance and seek help if needed. The partnership generates a strong emotional bond between human and dog. Through this bond, the person often develops a positive focus and a stimulus to be active. The result is increased motivation, higher self-esteem, a greater sense of belonging, as well as more social interaction and a higher quality of life. Partnership with a service dog can enable a person to attend school, obtain meaningful work, and participate fully in the life of their community. Saint Francis does not receive state or federal funding and relies entirely on public contributions to perform our mission. ADI, Inc. Accreditation Assistance Dogs International, Inc. is a coalition of not for profit organizations that train and place Assistance Dogs. The purpose of ADI is to improve the areas of training, placement, and utilization of Assistance Dogs as well as staff and volunteer education. Members of ADI meet annually to share ideas, attend seminars, and conduct business regarding such things as educating the public about Assistance Dogs, and the legal rights of people with disabilities partnered with Assistance Dogs, setting standards and establishing guidelines and ethics for the training of these dogs, and improving the utilization and bonding of each team. ADI also publishes a newsletter for members and subscribers. If you are a not for profit provider of Assistance Dogs, ADI membership will be a benefit to you, and you can be a part of ADI's mission. ADI's Mission
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