About Canine Angels Service Teams

Service dogs for young people

Canine Angels Service Teams is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Grants Pass that places professionally trained service dogs free of charge with children and young adults between the ages of 5 and 25 who have physical and developmental disabilities. It trains the dogs and then trains the families for success. Older children who show they can control the dog may qualify for public access. Its staff describe a combined 88 years of experience training dogs and helping children.

The training team

Head Instructor and Dog Trainer Sandy Mays has owned her own dog training business since 1998, has personally raised 15 puppies to be assistance dogs and trained over 100 dogs that graduated as assistance dogs. She is certified as an Assistance Dog Instructor by Assistance Dogs International. One team member also teaches obedience classes in Grants Pass.

Getting involved

Families can apply for a dog, and the organization relies on volunteers for puppy raising, fundraising and grant writing. It also runs a Career Change Dogs program.

What to ask

Ask about application steps, eligibility and current wait times.