Hub City Service Dogs is a nonprofit organization in Hattiesburg, MS. Our goal is to help individuals in our community by selecting, training the service dog and their handler, and provide the service dog at a reasonable cost. What is a Service Dog? Service dogs are specially-trained to specifically perform tasks that increase the independence of their human partner. People paired with service dog
s show improvements psychologically, economically, ad socially. Individuals with service dogs gain independence which would never be achieved without the help of their dog. Our primary focus is training service dogs for Type I diabetes and psychiatric disabilities such as PTSD. All applications received are considered. How do we select a service dog? Our dogs are selected on an individual need basis. Each dog is selected specifically to fit the needs and environment for the individual. If someone has a dog they would like trained as their service dog, we will consider through an evaluation process. What is the training process of service dog? The training process is specialized to fit the individual needs of the recipient. The training director will determine the length of training a on a case basis. All training is coaching based, meaning that the handler is a part of the training process. The service dog in training will live with the handler. Hub City Service Dogs is the only training organization in Mississippi with a Certified Service Dog Coach (SDC). Our head trainer is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Accessed (CPDT-KA)
Applications are available on our website www.hubcityservicedogs.org. The applicant must demonstrate sufficient maturity and decision-making capability to manage the dog independently and assure a quality life for the animal. The applicant must submit documentation from their physician regarding recommended tasks for the handler. Service dogs for children must be under the stewardship of a responsible adult. How much is a service dog? The cost of acquiring, training, and placing an assistance dog and providing follow-up care to our clients is between $15,000 to $20,000. Hub City Service Dogs understands many people are unable to afford the full cost of a dog. We are engaged in continuous donation request efforts to make it possible for all who seek this service to achieve it regardless of financial ability. We expect our applicants to contribute financially and be actively engaged in their own fundraising efforts to extent that they are able to.
