Canine Partners For Life

This organization place a sick dog with a client (with me). They brushed off his health issues as minor (when he broke out in an episode during training, they said it was no big deal), but they cost me over $1,000 in vet expenses in their first year together alone. I took him to specialist after specialist trying to get his illness under control --where CPL offered NO support whatsoever in regard to his illness --that there were records of him having in his vet records from before placement. The trainers and staff continued to just brush off my concerns --saying that, if I couldn't afford his costly treatments (which, by the way, rendered him unable to work), that I should just return him to the program. I had to make the most heartbreaking decision of my life in returning my partner to CPL. The specialists said he would never be cured --that he would struggle with his medical issues his whole life and recommended I return him. Under the strain of mounting veterinary bills and finally reaching a breaking point where I had to do what was best for the dog I loved, I returned him to CPL. He was later released from the program and adopted out. I still care about the people and staff at CPL. However, they seriously breached my trust. The program that was supposed to be there for me and support me and my dog after graduation did not --they stepped back and let us flounder. Until they address the issues that are popping up in their breeding lines (producing dogs with severe allergies, some with seizures, and some with temperament issues), I cannot recommend them as a service dog provider. more

My service dog and I graduated in 2011 and having had Labradors as pets for many years prior to applying for a service dog, I thought I knew a lot about dogs, but found myself very impressed with the overall training process and learned a great deal from a very knowledgeable and helpful staff. It was with lots of research and many recommendations from past recipients that brought me to this organization in the first place. Highly regarded throughout the service dog industry, everyone at Canine Partners for Life cares a great deal about the dogs they train as well as the people partnered with them and it’s easy to see this fact even with brief interaction. I can honestly tell you that I’m extremely happy with my service dog partner, the training we received together at Canine Partners for Life and the lifetime follow-up we have received to date from the dedicated trainers as well as the Executive Director, who personally worked with me after class one evening to overcome a minor issue I was having. Our partnership has changed my life dramatically for the better, bringing greater independence and confidence in doing things together that we could never do apart. I have and will continue to highly recommend Canine Partners for Life to anyone interested in a well-trained service dog. Thank God for Canine Partners for Life and the difference they made and continue to make in my life and the lives of many, many others. more