Retrieving Freedom

Programs: To promote public awarness through education, showcasing the talents these dogs have to allow a new degree of independence in their partners lives. We have placed 30 companion, therapy and service dogs to date.

learning with animal assisted activities is a rfi program that is built to enhance reading time, focus, and comprehension through the use of service dogs in training. Learning with animal assisted activities provides assistance to children with special needs, behavioral issues, reading, general learning, and to reduce levels of anxiety. Currently rfi operates this program in west cedar elementary, lsi/bremwood, st. Paul elementary, multiple libraries, and directly out of the rfi facility. More locations continue to ask for program expansion. Each of the programs are tied together with a licensed teacher that works to combine the dogs with the students. The results on some of the reading programs have been documented over the past year, and are exceptional

college level courses are being taught with 10-14 service dogs each semester in combination with the leadership and social work divisions on wartburg's college campus in waverly, ia. Students are matched with dogs in training and sometimes recipients to help with basic training and social integration. The courses are designed to allow the students a hands-on learning approach towards their future degree. Each student/dog pair is required to participate in a community involvement project with their dogs. Some of the projects have been wheel chair basketball tournaments, hospital and nursing home visits, elementary class incorporation, calendar designs with the dogs, public speaking, and video productions.

we bring dogs into the optional learning center in senatobia, ms to help with students that are not well suited for main stream school. Most of these kids have been moved out of regular class for disruptive behavior. The dogs are used to help understand the sense of community and giving back. We discuss the role of good citizenship and community pride. Often we have veterans speak to the students about freedom and its cost. The dogs are used as a reward for students getting close to being moved back into mainstream school. They help with task training or reinforcing skills already learned. We take dogs into the trauma unit at the med for animal assisted therapy. The dogs work with people of all ages that have had a variety of traumatic accidents, from car wrecks to gun shot wounds. We have partnered with several schools for fundraising and autism awareness campaigns. We speak to many rotary clubs as well as lions clubs over several states.