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Canine
Companions
Expanding
Options
for
Elderly
to
Live
Alone
Canine Companions for Independence provides assistance dogs to those
people with developmental or physical disabilities
Jan. 22, 2002 - Imagine
not
being
able
to
reach
a
light
switch,
pick
up
your
keys
when
you
drop
them,
or
open
a
cabinet
door.
Then
imagine
having
a
dog
that
could
do
all
of
that
and
more
for
you.
These
special
canines
are
helping
hundreds
live
more
independent
lives.
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Ty,
a
lab-golden
mix,
is
a
service
dog
in
training,
and
Ann
is
a
volunteer
puppy
raiser
for
CCI.
Click
to
Story
For
CCI's
Home
Page
-
Click
Here
Another
such
service
is
provided
by
the
Delta
Society
-
Click
Here
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Canine
Companions
for
Independence
provides
assistance
dogs
to
those
people
with
developmental
or
physical
disabilities
who
can
demonstrate
that
a
Canine
Companion
will
enhance
their
independence
or
quality
of
life.
CCI
dogs
are
provided
at
virtually
no
cost
to
the
graduates.
All
the
expenses
of
breeding,
raising,
and
training
a
Canine
Companion
is
funded
through
private
donations.
Founded
in
1975,
CCI
pioneered
the
concept
of
training
dogs
to
assist
people
with
disabilities.
The
achievements
of
these
first
service
dogs
and
the
increased
independence
they
brought
to
their
human
partners,
came
at
a
time
in
Americas
history
when
people
with
disabilities
were
charting
new
courses
for
their
lives.
Instead
of
being
taken
care
of,
they
wanted
opportunities
to
take
charge
of
their
lives.
For
hundreds
of
men,
women
and
children
since
then,
Canine
Companions
for
Independence
has
opened
the
door
to
just
such
opportunities
CCI
is
a
501(c)(3)
non-profit
organization
that
is
funded
by
private
contributions
and
receives
no
government
funding.
CCI
graduates
pay
only
a
$100
Team
Training
registration
fee
that
is
reimbursed
in
supplies.
There
is
no
charge
for
the
dog.
Dogs
are
also
made
available
to
professionals
working
for
organizations
that
provide
physical
or
mental
health
care
to
clients
who
could
benefit
from
interaction
with
a
facility
dog.
Dogs
begin
their
journey
when
they
are
whelped
in
the
homes
of
volunteer
breeder
caretakers
with
whom
the
parent
dogs
live.
When
the
puppies
are
two
months
old,
they
are
brought
to
the
Schulz
campus
that
houses
a
fulltime
veterinary
staff
and
kennel
care
staff.
Following
examination
and
vaccination,
the
pups
are
placed
in
the
homes
of
volunteer
puppy
raisers
through
one
of
our
five
regional
centers.
The
dogs
are
turned
into
their
regional
centers
at
approximately
14
months
old
and
will
begin
a
six-
to
nine-month
program
of
Advanced
Training.
The
dogs
are
fully
trained
when
they
are
introduced
to
the
people
who
may
become
their
partners.
The
training
of
the
person
in
the
use
of
one
of
our
dogs
is
called
Team
Training
and
lasts
for
two
very
full
weeks.
At
the
end
of
the
training,
a
public
graduation
ceremony
takes
place
marking
the
beginning
of
a
long-term
relationship
between
person
and
dog
and
between
the
team
and CCI.
Graduates
remain
in
touch
with
CCI
through
regular
follow-up
programs,
workshops
and
reunions.
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