About K9s On The Front Line

K9s on the Front Line is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Jefferson City. Its stated mission is to help Veterans and first responders recover from trauma through service dogs, free mental health support and wellness programs.

Two programs

The Service Dog Program is the advanced track, described as being for Veterans who need a fully trained and certified service dog with access to all public places as defined by ADA federal law. The Companion Dog Program is the more basic route, for Veterans who do not need a full PTSD service dog but would benefit from a well-trained companion. Applicants apply through the organization's own process.

Where the dogs come from

The organization pairs Veterans and first responders with shelter dogs, and frames that as deliberately two-sided: the dog gets a second chance and so does the handler. That sourcing model is worth understanding before applying, because it shapes both the timeline and the kind of dog available.

History and leadership

The parent organization was founded in 2016 by Hagen Blaszyk and Linda Murray, after training their own dogs at a facility where law enforcement K9 handlers were preparing dogs for Veterans in North Carolina. The Missouri chapter was started in 2018 by Jason Howe, who had gone through the program in Maine with his own service dog. In 2024 the founders handed the organization over to him, and he is listed as President and CEO. His page describes a Navy career as a Master At Arms from 2002 to 2007 with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, a bachelor's degree in business, and work as an author and speaker as well as a dog trainer.

What this is not

This is not a retail dog school. An owner looking to book obedience classes for a pet dog should look elsewhere in this directory. If you are a Veteran or a first responder seeking a service or companion dog, this is the organization in the metro that does it.