4 Paws for Ability Press Kit

2015

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Background

Karen Shirk established 4 Paws for Ability, Inc., in 1998 in Ohio. The 501(c)(3) non-profit organization was created to fill a gap in providing highly-trained service dogs to children and veterans. 4 Paws service dogs are provided to children regardless of age, disability, or geographic location. Most of our placements are with children under the age of ten. 4 Paws places dogs across the globe; placements include the U.S., Canada, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Switzerland.

4 Paws for Ability is a comprehensive service dog organization that strives to take the “dis” out of disability by providing Autism Assistance dogs, Seizure Assistance dogs, Mobility Assistance dogs, Hearing Assistance dogs, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Assistance dogs, Diabetic Alert and Response dogs, and Multipurpose Assistance Dogs (covers multiple disabilities that can include Down Syndrome, Fragile X, Apraxia, ADHD, a variety of mental health diagnoses, medically frail children, and life threatening medical illnesses like cancer). 4 Paws’ service dogs are trained to help children and veterans live more independent lives so they can better contribute to society.

The average cost of a service dog is between $22,000 and $46,000 (including food, training, housing, and vet care), but the recipients (except veterans) are only required to raise $15,000. 4 Paws supplements this cost with gift in-kind donations, grants, cause related marketing, and other fundraising activities.

4 Paws continually tracks and monitors the needs of children with disabilities and recently opened its second U.S. training center in Anchorage, Alaska. 4 Paws Alaska placed two service dogs with Alaska children in 2014 and has begun training for four planned placements in 2015.

4 Paws’ commitment to children and veterans with disabilities and innovative client specific training program set the organization apart from other service dog agencies. 4 Paws delivers on its ability to provide highly-trained, personalized service dogs to children and veterans, fundamentally changing and shaping the way they live and manage their disabilities.

4 Paws has received national media attention on MSNBC, Dateline NBC, Animal Planet, Good Morning America, CNN, and in The New York Times, The Washington Post, People Magazine, USA Today, and Parent’s Magazine. Karen Shirk, founder of 4 Paws, has been recognized as a 2008 CNN Hero, a 2009 DIRECTV Hometown Hero, and received a star on the Morgan’s Wonderful Walk of Fame, the only theme park designed for special needs individuals, in 2013. In 2014, 4 Paws was the recipient of one of Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good, and Senior Trainer, Jennifer Lutes, was selected as a Pandora Hearts of Today winner.

www.4pawsforability.org

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Key Contacts

Karen Shirk Mobile: 937-768-9098Founder and Executive Director Email: karen4paws@aol.comContact for: -Training-Client Application and Eligibility-Nonprofit Administration-Alaska Inquiries

Kelly Camm Mobile: 859-802-0122Development Director Email: kellycamm4paws@aol.comContact for: -Fundraising-Media Inquiry-Press Releases

Jaki Waggamon Mobile: 419-371-9717Social Media and Web Specialist Email: media4paws@gmail.com Contact for:-Website Inquiry-Social Media Topics-Volunteer and Foster Home Contact-Newsletter

Headquarters4 Paws for Ability, Inc. 253 Dayton Avenue Xenia, OH 45385 Phone: 937-374-0385

www.4pawsforability.org

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Fact Sheet4 Paws for Ability, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) organization that provides task-trained service dogs to children, regardless of age, disability, or geographic location.

4 Paws for Ability places service dogs with children who have any disability including (but not limited to), Hearing Assistance, Mobility Assistance, Autism Assistance, Seizure Assistance, FASD Assistance, Diabetic Alert and Response, and Multipurpose Assistance Dogs (covers multiple disabilities that can include Down Syndrome, Fragile X, Apraxia, ADHD, a variety of mental health diagnoses, life threatening medical illnesses like cancer and medically frail children) with children regardless of age or disability. 4 Paws for Ability additionally places service dogs with veterans of recent conflicts with no fundraising requirement.

Since its inception in 1998, 4 Paws has placed over 850 dogs across the United States and in countries including Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, and Switzerland. In 2015, 4 Paws will place its first dog in Mexico.

The 4 Paws program has a 90 percent first placement success rate, with an overall success rate of 98 percent.

4 Paws is recognized and recommended by several national Autism organizations, and currently 31 percent of all service dog placements for 2015 will be for Autism Assistance dogs. Most have been referred by physicians or therapists.

4 Paws is also part of a partnership with Magnolia Paws for Compassion (http://www.magnoliapawsforcompassion.com/) to promote awareness of Seizure Assistance dogs. Seizure assistance dogs account for our fastest growing community with 30 percent of 2015 placements including seizure assistance in the training program.

4 Paws was the first and largest organization in the U.S. to place Autism Assistance dogs trained with search and rescue tracking abilities. This capability provides parents an additional resource to locate their children who may have a heightened interest in and capability to elope.

4 Paws was the first organization to develop a service dog for FASD/Drug Exposure Assistance that caters to these kids and their unique needs.

Each dog is specially task-trained to assist his/her partner’s specific needs.

www.4pawsforability.org

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Placement

www.4pawsforability.org

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Placement

www.4pawsforability.org

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Testimonials

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Owen & CooperMobility Assistance Dog Owen received his first 4 Paws for Ability service dog in 2003, before Owen entered Kindergarten. Now a 10th grader, Owen was recently matched with his second service dog, Cooper. Owen is much more autonomous over this process than the last one; he passed the public access test and can handle Cooper in public, he handles all the feeding and treating, and gives commands and affection to Cooper. Cooper helps Owen through specific tasks such as pulling or retrieving dropped items. Owen has already taught him his own tricks, like fist bump and Cooper knows what an iPod is--he grabs it and gives it to Owen as soon as Owen says iPod. 

“To the mom of a kid who has had a very tough life so far and has very limited mobility, Cooper has provided a sense of ownership and responsibility for Owen that gives immediate response to him.  Further, Owen and Cooper were going down a hall at school one day and an autistic child was having difficulty.  Cooper immediately went to the child and put his face on her lap.  She calmed immediately.  Now whenever the child begins to get agitated, her aide and her go looking for Owen and Cooper, regardless if they find them or not, the child calms.  Owen and Cooper to the rescue! So instead of someone having to help Owen all the time, Owen gets to help someone out instead.  Very, very cool”.  

Grayson & LincolnMultipurpose Assistance Dog with Seizure Alert Grayson was diagnosed with a rare chromosomal abnormality that challenges him with several global delays, lack of speech, epilepsy, and autism, among other diagnoses. Grayson and Lincoln were matched together as partners in the fall and it wasn’t long before their family felt noticeable differences in their life. “I have truly witnessed a love and a bond between our son and our dog. They are friends,” says a very grateful mom. Lincoln almost immediately began to calm Grayson while in the car, a previously uncomfortable time for Grayson, that often led to screaming and head-banging episodes. With Lincoln by his side, that behavior has become very rare, a blessing of comfort to both Grayson and his family. Grayson shows his affection for Lincoln by using him as a pillow or holding his paw. “They have rituals and games and moments that transcend my understanding.” These small things add up quickly and the whole family has benefitted from Lincoln’s calming presence and his assistance to Grayson.