sponsor a service dog
It costs over $20,000 a year to raise and train one of our service dogs.
When you sponsor a service dog you are playing a direct role in that training — and you are profoundly impacting the life of the person who receives the dog.
You can also sponsor a service dog as a gift.
It's easy as 1 ... 2 ... 3.
1. Pick the dog of your choice below.*
2. Decide your sponsorship amount.
3. Then click here to fill out your sponsorship form. We'll take it from there.
Sponsorship Levels and Benefits
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$35
Certificate signed by Service Dogs of Virginia Founder and Head Trainer, Peggy Law |
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$50
All of the above, plus ... |
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$100
All of the above, plus ... |
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$250
All of the above, plus ... |
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$500
All of the above, plus ... |
* The path to becoming a service dog is long and the qualities a dog must have to complete the training are many.
A percentage of dogs are released along the way and go on to become wonderful pets. If the dog you sponsored is released, we will allocate his/her resources to another dog in the program. You will continue to receive updates on the dogs in training.
Photos by Leah Hill Photography
Birdie
Sassy, smart, and periodically in trouble, Birdie is athletic, precocious, and very affectionate. Birdie has been seen standing on top of a table or climbing a shelf to get to a toy she has spied. Her desire to pursue an agenda against all odds makes her a great choice for diabetic alert work where we are sure she will alert her person no matter what. We are currently working on harnessing her considerable talents into productive skills. Her ability to find scent is excellent, her alerts are good and we are working on having her alert to scent in random situations. Birdie will be a great Diabetic Alert Dog, an affectionate companion, and lots of fun.
Cole
Cole is a quick learner with an outgoing personality. He is brave, bold, confident, and adaptable. He is being raised by a family with a member in a wheelchair (paired with one of our service dogs). As a little puppy Cole liked to hitch a ride on the footrests. As a bigger fella he puts his front feet on them and walks backwards when the chair is moving, quite comfortably and proud.
Ella
Ella has a beautiful face, soulful eyes and is quite the confident gal. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Ella is the first to investigate and explore the world around her. She is observant and very curious about new experiences ... and she'll be sure to tell you all about them. Ella plays as hard as she works and will make a wonderful service dog for a very special person.
Louie
Louie epitomizes the jazz musician his name honors. He is laid back, soft rather than intense, sweet and kind. Louie spent his early puppyhood as a member of the band that comes to our training center daily, being raised by one of our staff. In order to give him some more worldly experience, Louie has spent several months going to work with volunteer Rachel who works in juvenile detention and has two young children of her own. Louie handles all of it with cool aplomb. Louie’s job is not yet fully determined but with his laid back nature, it appears that he will either work as an autism service dog or a physical assistance dog.
Theo
Theo is a gorgeous dog with light brown eyes that reach right in to your soul asking for support and love. He is smart and capable but requires his person to provide him emotional strength and inspiration. Still a bit too young to have a permanent job description, Theo will probably work for someone in a wheelchair. He will make a true partner by gaining courage and happiness from his person while he is providing them greater freedom and independence.
Woody
Named for a generous donor’s beloved dog Woodbine, Woody has got to be the most affectionate dog on the planet. His head can always be found gently perching in an available lap for stroking and love. He is crazy about birds and is learning that he is not allowed to chase them even though it is his heart’s desire. Luckily he is a quick learner and came into advanced training with a wonderful skill set taught by his puppy raiser. Even though he practices incredible self control, you can still see the sparkle in his eyes when a bird comes into view.
