K9s For Warriors

Note: The organization did not respond to this question.

Note: The organization did not respond to this question.

K9s For Warriors has designed and are implementing a cross-functional leadership team structural model whereby operational department leaders plan, discuss, troubleshoot, and implement organizational initiatives that are in alignment with the overall strategic plan key performance indicators.

As a veteran services organization, K9s For Warriors works with many other VSOs to ensure the widest support for our veterans. Additionally, as the organization is at the forefront of Service Dog advocacy we facilitate research to demonstrate the efficacy of Service Dogs on PTSD (with the University of Arizona), present at conferences and to elected officials to create broader support for Service Dogs in the United States. We're constantly spreading awareness of our mission through Warrior graduate stories and building a community with third party events and fundraisers.

In 2022, our veteran waitlist was longer than 4 years and COVID played a big role in that. It limited Warrior class sizes and greatly reduced our ability to rescue dogs from shelters. To reduce the wait time, we made the decision to procure more dogs from breeders and other Service Dog agencies. Veterans now wait, on average, 18 months to be paired with a dog. Ultimately, we believe the decision saved more lives. Dogs bred to be service animals arrive on our campus needing less training than rescue dogs so we can pair them with veterans in a more timely fashion. Our rescue dogs naturally require more training. Rescue dogs will always be the majority of dogs we procure. In 2022 our program was 68% rescue. Our goal is to have rescue dogs comprise 80% of our dogs annually.