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SAM - About Service Animals of Mississippi
Service Animals of Mississippi (SAM) provides trained service, therapy and companion dogs for
children, youth and adults with disabilities. Working in conjunction with South Mississippi Canine
Consultants and LIFE of Mississippi, the Institute for Disability Studies (IDS) will provide training,
placement and follow-up of up to 10 assistance dog teams during the first year of the grant. Grant
funding is provided by the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities, a sister agency to IDS.
Applicant interview is based on standards and requirements developed by project staff, the SAM Advisory Council and South Mississippi Canine Consultants. The specific needs of each individual as well as the capabilities and temperament of the dog are considered in matching consumers to dogs in order to form lifelong partnerships. |Volunteer puppy raiser families will raise puppies for the first year, teaching basic obedience and socialization in public and private environments. When a puppy is ready for formal training, the dog will be placed with the trainer for specific task training. Dogs are carefully matched to recipients - a process called team formation - based on task requirements, lifestyle and personal traits. The team is trained and evaluated during the final training phase. Teams are followed for a minimum of 1 year after placement to assure success and support the lifelong partnership of the assistance dog team. Recipients have access to support and resources as needed following the 12 month post-placement period.
Any and all dogs placed through SAM must be returned to SAM in the event the dog cannot remain with or be cared for by the recipient. An Emergency Recovery policy is implemented to retrieve a dog that can no longer be cared for by the recipient.
The outreach portion of SAM includes a program to provide reduced veterinary care fees for service animals and a public awareness and resource center for all consumers.
The Advisory Council provides input for training, selection, placement of dogs as well as evaluation of the program. The council includes veterinarians and consumers who review evaluation data to assure that activities across program goals and objectives are responsive to current issues in the field, meet consumer needs and ultimately have a positive impact on the lives of consumers.
Goals
SAM goals are to increase the independence, productivity and community participation/inclusion of individuals with disabilities by providing professionally trained assistance dogs that will form a lifetime bond with the consumer, public awareness information and advocacy, and follow-along support services that ensure the welfare of the consumer, dog and the public.Applicant interview is based on standards and requirements developed by project staff, the SAM Advisory Council and South Mississippi Canine Consultants. The specific needs of each individual as well as the capabilities and temperament of the dog are considered in matching consumers to dogs in order to form lifelong partnerships. |Volunteer puppy raiser families will raise puppies for the first year, teaching basic obedience and socialization in public and private environments. When a puppy is ready for formal training, the dog will be placed with the trainer for specific task training. Dogs are carefully matched to recipients - a process called team formation - based on task requirements, lifestyle and personal traits. The team is trained and evaluated during the final training phase. Teams are followed for a minimum of 1 year after placement to assure success and support the lifelong partnership of the assistance dog team. Recipients have access to support and resources as needed following the 12 month post-placement period.
Any and all dogs placed through SAM must be returned to SAM in the event the dog cannot remain with or be cared for by the recipient. An Emergency Recovery policy is implemented to retrieve a dog that can no longer be cared for by the recipient.
The outreach portion of SAM includes a program to provide reduced veterinary care fees for service animals and a public awareness and resource center for all consumers.
The Advisory Council provides input for training, selection, placement of dogs as well as evaluation of the program. The council includes veterinarians and consumers who review evaluation data to assure that activities across program goals and objectives are responsive to current issues in the field, meet consumer needs and ultimately have a positive impact on the lives of consumers.