Assistance Animals: Could One Work for You?

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                                         Meet Buddy, CReW's autism service dog ambassador!  

                                                                         Buddy sends his love! 

                                                        (Yes, even if you're not a dog lover!)  

Technically, Buddy is Tamara's family's autism service dog.  But, he delights in being the CReW Ambassador and spreading the word about neurodiversity everywhere he goes!   And because many people tend to say, "Hey, Buddy!" when they see him, Buddy believes that EVERYBODY knows his name!  He is a legend in his own mind.

Surprisingly, there is a lot to know about different classifications of assistance animals, how they help people, and what rights they have under the law.     

Unfortunately, a fully-trained and registered service dog can be cost-prohibitive for most families.   So, CReW hired a trainer to help families who desire to are able to train a dog themselves. 

While service animals aren't right for everyone, CReW's professional dog trainer, Stephanie Lane, will work with you to understand if one is a fit for your family.   She can also help you decide if you need a fully trained and registered service dog, or if a variety of comfort animal might be a better fit.

If you choose to pursue training a service dog, Stephanie will help you select and prepare a dog for autism, PTSD, or another disability service as needed.  Then, once you and your dog are ready, as a member of Stephanie's group, you will train your dog through all the levels required to register as a service dog.    Stephanie will work with you as your dog executes all the required behaviors and passes the testing required for registration.

All this is done for a small fraction of the cost of buying a trained service dog or paying a private trainer, and you can pay as you go along!