Life-Changing Partnerships in Their Own Words

Since 2000, Service Dogs of Virginia has created over 125 life-changing partnerships between people and their incredible service dogs. But don’t just take our word for it — hear directly from our teams about how these dogs have opened doors, built confidence, and brought greater freedom, safety, and joy to their lives.

Explore our teams by program or click on individual stories to read more. Whether you’re interested in Physical Assistance Dogs, Autism Service Dogs, PTSD Service Dogs, Medical Alert Service Dogs, or Facility Dogs, there’s a story here that will inspire you.

Your support makes these partnerships possible. Donate today and help create tomorrow’s teams.

A young girl in a purple winter coat and pink gloves crouching in the snow, playing with a black dog in a snowy outdoor setting surrounded by trees and snow-covered bushes.
A young boy and a happy Labrador Retriever dog sitting together on an orange playground slide at a park on a sunny day.

JJ and SDV Finn

A young boy in a green t-shirt and shorts standing on a wooden deck, smiling with his dog, a yellow Labrador Retriever, on a leash. The deck has a table with a cloth and an outdoor umbrella in the background, surrounded by trees.
A young boy sitting on the beach beside a large black dog, with the boy wearing a yellow life jacket. The boy is playing near the water, and the beach extends into the background with people and umbrellas visible.

Sam and SDV Forest

A young boy and a dog standing on a leaf-covered trail in a forest during fall, with trees showing yellow, orange, and green leaves.

Caroline and SDV Baldwin

Lucas and SDV Tulley

Elliot and SDV Ralph

A man with a beard and tousled hair, dressed in a gray t-shirt and shorts, kneeling on a wooden dock beside a yellow Labrador Retriever wearing a red vest. They are against a backdrop of a body of water at sunset with colorful sky and wind turbines in the distance.

Brendan and SDV Manci

A person taking a selfie outdoors with a happy dog against a city skyline backdrop.
A person sitting and smiling while holding a black service dog wearing a red vest.

Maria and SDV Dougan

A woman hugging a black service dog, sitting on a porch near a potted plant with red flowers.

Adele and SDV Champ

Didi and SDV Wylie

Two puppies wearing red and white TY tags lying on brick ledge in front of a colorful sign that reads 'Ready Kids' with a background of trees and parked cars.
A smiling woman with short gray hair and fair skin, wearing a black and white striped shirt, is sitting next to a yellow Labrador Retriever with a red collar, both looking at the camera. A quilt with a star pattern hangs on the wall behind them.

Francee and SDV Ole

A smiling woman kneeling beside a service dog in an indoor setting, with shelves of clothing in the background.
A woman with long brown hair kneeling and petting a Yellow Labrador therapy dog with an orange bandana that says "Josie" and has paw print graphics, outdoors with green trees and bushes in the background.

Rami and SDV Josie

Photo courtesy of Virginia Tech

A man and woman standing outdoors with a black service dog. The man has gray hair and glasses, wearing a navy polo shirt with a badge logo, khaki pants, and black shoes. The woman has long brown hair, wearing a green polo shirt with a badge logo, black pants, and silver flats. The service dog, a black Labrador with a red harness, sits in front of them on grass.
A woman and a service dog at a flower shop, with colorful tulips and orchids in the background.

ReadyKids and SDV William and SDV Chaya

Michelle and SDV Aiden

Va Beach Commonwealth Atttonry’s Office and SDV Zuhey

Emily and SDV Conrad

A smiling woman in a blue uniform sitting cross-legged on grass with a yellow service dog wearing a harness and pink collar on her right side outdoors.
A woman with curly brown hair, wearing a red t-shirt and black shorts, sitting on the sand at the beach with a black Labrador puppy wearing a red harness.

Tamera and SDV Irene

A woman smiling in a studio portrait next to a black Labrador retriever with a collar and a round tag. The woman has wavy brown hair, is wearing earrings, necklaces, and an orange blouse. The dog looks directly at the camera.

Hannah and SDV Clara

Woman walking a black dog with a red vest along a seaside promenade with statues and buildings in the background.

Reagan and SDV Pearl

Kindra and SDV Monroe

A man in a motorized wheelchair smiling and sitting beside a Labrador retriever wearing a blue harness in a grassy, wooded area.
A woman in a wheelchair holding the leash of a black guide dog wearing a red vest with a service dog patch, on a brick sidewalk with trees and buildings in the background.

Laura and SDV Judith

An elderly woman standing in front of a poster for the musical Les Misérables, holding a cane, with a black service dog nearby. The poster features a large illustration of a woman's face with the text "Still the World's Most Popular Musical Les Misérables."

Christine and SDV Ruffin

Bruce and SDV Whit

A man with tattoos in a blue tank top and colorful shoes crouching next to a yellow Labrador retriever on the edge of a baseball field at Fenway Park, with the stadium and a crowd in the background.
A woman in a red and white striped shirt and sunglasses kneeling next to a black Labrador retriever wearing a red service vest, with a lighthouse in the background.

Joel and SDV Spirit

A man kneeling on the ground with a black dog, both inside a heart-shaped outline made of red, orange, and yellow leaves. The man wears a baseball cap, sunglasses, and a black t-shirt, and the dog is lying and looking up at the man.
A man sitting on the floor next to a sleeping guide dog in front of a fireplace.

Donnie and SDV Palmer

A man sitting on the ground amidst fallen autumn leaves, holding a black Labrador Retriever wearing a red harness, outdoors near a tree.

Michelle and SDV Dottie

Victor and SDV Holly

Will and SDV Zach

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