The Mission:
Our mission is to facilitate and coordinate the implementation of Crisis Response Therapy Dog teams in First Responder agencies, so that these teams may provide Animal Assisted Crisis Response within their communities to support the mental health of individuals affected by, and responding to, crises and disasters.
What is a Crisis Response K9?
A Crisis Response K9 Team is defined as a Nationally Certified Therapy Dog with an additional Crisis Response endorsement, paired with a First Responder handler.
WHAT CAN A CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM DO?
● Provide Peer Support for first responders within a team’s home base agency
● Assistance with Incident Debriefings for multiple first responder agencies
● Major/Traumatic Incident response
● Grief, Loss and Trauma support
● Victim/Forensic Interviews
● Medical Facility Visits
● School Demonstrations/Drills
What does it take?
How to get started:
Step 1
Contact Crisis Canines of the Midlands
Step 2
- Department approval
- Selection of handler and K9 candidate
- Fundraising
Step 3
Let us facilitate the team’s veterinary wellness care, training and certification!
How does Crisis Canines of the Midlands help?
Approximate cost to start a new pup through final certification: $10,000
- Budget item usually largest hurdle for departments
- CCM accepts tax deductible private donations and business sponsorships to cover the costs of acquisition, training, wellness care, equipment, public outreach materials and certification
- Coordination and facilitation of entire training and certification process
- Ongoing quarterly refresher training for certified teams
