Freedom Service Dogs, Inc.

A nonprofit organization

At Freedom Service Dogs, our dogs are custom trained to help people with disabilities enjoy more independent lives by assisting with daily tasks, enhancing social interactions, and increasing their self-confidence, happiness, and hope. 

Our clients include veterans with PTSD and combat-related injuries, children and teens with autism and other neurocognitive disabilities, and people with mobility challenges resulting from cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and other conditions. 

Your support allows us to provide custom-trained service dogs and lifetime support to over 175 active teams, all at no cost to our clients.

Testimonials

Eddie & Alfredo 

Eddie is a U.S. Army veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who served four tours in Afghanistan during his 21-year military career. Says Eddie, "I returned home with physical scars, which I can deal with, but the most painful scars are the ones that you don't see. Those painful scars are what have not let me live my life to the fullest. Those injuries are the ones that made me alienate myself from everyone, including the ones that I love, and that haunt me every night in my dreams." Eddie was matched with Freedom Service Dog Alfredo and graduated with him in 2019. "From the moment I saw Alfredo, well, he has no idea, but he saved my life," says Eddie. "Alfredo has forced me to get out of bed and be more active. I'm not as anxious about leaving the house now, so I have spent more time with my family outside of my house, including going to a movie theater together for the first time in almost eight years. Alfredo provides space between crowds and me, which is very helpful because it provides me peace of mind and gives me the buffer that I need from people. Alfredo is the battle buddy that I have been missing."

K & Patriot

K is an active woman who lives with multiple sclerosis, a disease that has resulted in a loss of mobility and self-confidence since her diagnosis in 2002. She graduated with Freedom Service Dog Patriot in 2020, and since then, the two have been inseparable. Patriot assists K by getting items off shelves in the supermarket for her, tugging the laundry basket from her bedroom to the laundry room, turning lights on and off, retrieving K's crutches and phone, and more. "Having a service dog has changed my life in a very positive way," says K. "I can rely on Patriot and know that I don't have to find a person to help me, and that's huge. Patriot is so smart and eager to help. He's Super Dog!"

Ethan & Pika

Ethan is a 10-year-old boy who has been diagnosed with autism. He was matched with an FSD service dog named Pika through our autism-assist program that provides service dogs at no charge for children and young adults with autism and other neurocognitive disabilities. Ethan and Pika graduated from FSD in 2020, and since then, Ethan’s parents have seen important changes in their son’s life. Says father Bryce, “It really gives us a lot of hope for Ethan’s future, that Pika can help him overcome a lot of the difficulties and awkwardness that he faces because of autism. She helps him when he gets upset and frustrated, and she is able to nudge him and help him change his thought process so he can calm down a little bit and redirect his focus onto her instead of what’s upsetting him. Ethan has also seen marked growth in his education goals, and it’s been great to hear his school talk about how they can see the difference in his progress since getting Pika.”

Mission

At Freedom Service Dogs, we transform lives by partnering people with custom-trained assistance dogs. We envision a world where individuals have the freedom to live their lives to the fullest with a custom-trained assistance dog by their side.

Background Statement

Founded in 1987, Freedom Service Dogs, Inc. grew from the understanding that assistance dogs increase the independence of a person living with a disability. The founders, PJ and Michael Roche, came to this conclusion through personal experience. While working as a paramedic, Mike was severely injured, resulting in paraplegia. As a canine obedience trainer, PJ saw how a specially trained dog would enable Mike to regain his independence and enhance his mobility in the home and out in the community. Motivated by this realization, PJ started training their border collie, Oreo. Oreo proved to be a willing and able partner who drastically improved Mike's independence and quality of life. Inspired, the Roches founded Freedom Service Dogs (FSD) to increase the independence of other people facing life with a disability.

Since that time, FSD has graduated hundreds of client-dog teams, including veterans with PTSD, children with autism, and people with mobility challenge, at no cost to the client. FSD also provides lifetime support for nearly 180 active client-dog teams, including refresher and new-skills training, annual recertification, and successor dogs when a service dog retires--also at no charge to our clients.

Freedom Service Dogs is accredited by Assistance Dogs International (ADI), the world’s leading standards-setter and accreditation body for training assistance dogs.

Organization Data

Summary

Organization name

Freedom Service Dogs, Inc.

other names

FSD

Year Established

1987

Category

Human Services, Animal-Related

Organization Size

Large Organization

Address

7193 S. Dillon Ct.
Englewood, CO 80112

Service areas

Arapahoe County, CO, US

Phone

303-922-6231

Fax

303-922-6234

Social Media