Meet KAI :) — Psychiatric Service Dog in Training

Today, I want to introduce you to Kai, a very special psychiatric service dog in training, and share with you the remarkable journey that lies ahead of him.

KAI's Future Owner

Kai has been selected as a future companion for an individual who has endured unimaginable hardship. His future owner, a survivor of child abuse, battles severe complex PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and persistent depressive disorder on a daily basis. The weight of these conditions has made life an uphill battle, with traditional coping strategies often becoming painful triggers. In this struggle, Kai's future owner found solace in unhealthy habits, resulting in the development of new challenges such as diabetes and obesity. To provide support and a path to a brighter future, a therapist reached out to PAWS FOR PURPOSE, recognizing that a psychiatric service dog could be the key to unlocking a better life. Kai was chosen for his unique disposition and trained to provide psychiatric support, enabling his future owner to face daily challenges and acute PTSD episodes with greater resilience. With Kai's help, the dream of attending university in-person and forming meaningful social connections can finally become a reality, breaking the cycle of isolation.

KAI's Specialized Training

Kai has already received over 600h of professional training and is working hard towards obtaining his AKC Advanced Canine Good Citizen (CGCA) and AKC Urban Canine Good Citizen (CGCU) certifications, as well as refining his specialized psychiatric service tasks: body blocking for crowd control in public settings, interruption behaviors for signs of emotion dysregulation, and deep pressure therapy for panic attacks or PTSD episodes. In the next two months, Kai will be receiving an additional 400h of training to hone all his skills before he can go home with his future owner.

Why $25,000?

Kai's specialized training is very intensive, but turns out to also be very expensive. Training Kai to become a psychiatric service dog is a full-time job that requires a lot of time and a lot of resources. Notably, training costs include things like having a dedicated handler to teach and review obedience commands and specialized service tasks daily; transportation to various locations for exposure, socialization, and public access training; and compassionate staff to provide regular progress updates and address any insecurities/concerns during the waiting period before training completion. Other costs during the 6 months in Snowy Pines' care include things like food, kennel, vet visits, vaccines, fleas/ticks medication, and grooming.