Location
Their Work
Carolina Canines for Service, located in Wilmington, NC, is dedicated to empowering people with disabilities to achieve greater independence and enhanced quality of life through the services of specially trained dogs. It achieves this mission through multiple innovative programs, the invaluable help of foster home volunteers and seven volunteer and staff trainers.
Some of the extremely innovative programs that make a true and lasting difference include:
Carolina Canines for Veterans is a national pilot program that teaches prisoners at the Camp Lejeunebrig in Jacksonville, NC to train service dogs for wounded veterans;
Carolina Canines for Therapy program trains owners and their dogs to provide animal-assisted visitations in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, group homes and treatment facilities;
Paws for Reading is part of the Carolina Canines for Therapy program, where therapy dogs help children struggling to improve their reading and communication skills;
Foster Puppy Program finds volunteers to raise a service dog in their home for 24 months while it undergoes a service dog program;
Domestic Violence Animal Assistance allows domestic violence victims to leave a violent situation without fear of abandoning their animal to the abusive situation by finding a new or foster home for their pet.
Carolina Canines Animal Assisted Therapy teams meet hundreds of people every week and bring a moment of sunshine into their lives every time. In 2008, its volunteers logged close to 2,000 hours of service per month!
One veteran Carolina Canines client who gained the assistance of a service dog said, “She is my legs. Not only has she been a great help in things I have to learn all over again, but she’s a great addition to the family, and a friend.”
SPCA International is proud to recognize Carolina Canines for Service as Shelter of the Week. It is helping a community in great need and giving shelter dogs a new purpose in life at the same time. For more information on Carolina Canines for Service visit, www.carolinacanines.org.