Acquisition of a Dogs Helping Heroes Dog is a Five-step process.
1. Submit Application
Fill out the Application Form on the website and submit with all supporting documentation. You will receive an email when your completed application is received.
2. Committee Will Review Applicants
The application committee will review all applicants on a quarterly basis. Application deadlines are March 15th, June 15th, September 15th and December 15th. If you meet the eligibility criteria you will be notified if you have been granted an interview. You will be notified by email approximately 2 weeks after the application deadline if you have been selected to proceed to the next step.
3. Application Interview
Eligible applicants will be scheduled for an interview with the application committee. Interviews are conducted quarterly (see calendar for dates). Interviews typically last 30-45 minutes to an hour and you are encouraged to bring your family and members of your support system to the interview including any dogs already in your household. You will be notified within the week after your interview if you have been accepted to the next step or if your application was declined. In addition, DHH reserves the right to decline any application at any time during the application process at the discretion of the application committee and the DHH Board of Directors.
4. Home Inspection
A Home inspection will be conducted by members of the application committee. Every effort will be made to arrange this within a few weeks of your interview but there are times it may take a bit longer. A Home inspection report and photos will be submitted to the application committee and a determination will be made if you are to be awarded a DHH dog.
5. Dog/Hero Match
(This process may take up to 1 year depending on the availability of dogs within the DHH program). Once you are matched with a suitable dog, your training begins. Training averages 10-12 lessons over a 6-9 month period before you become a fully certified service dog team. DHH reserves the right to remove the dog if you are not completing your training in a timely manner or if you violate the DHH Code of Conduct. Annual recertification is required.