The financial obligations of getting an Autism Anchoring Dog.
The current cost of an autism anchoring dog is $35,000. We do our best to keep expenses down, and not all expenses are passed on to AAD’s clients. The expenses we incur at AAD include purchasing, feeding, training, veterinary care, transportation, and Team Training, all of which directly impact the client’s financial obligation.
Administrative overhead is another expense that is kept to a minimum in order to place more service dogs with families who need them.
Not all dogs brought into the program will graduate, and these costs must be distributed. Some dogs are more capable than others to become assistance animals, and we work hard to ensure that only the most suitable dogs (from both a temperament and structural standpoint) are paired with a family. We determine each dog’s aptitude for service work over the course of their training, but our investment and costs remain fixed regardless of the final decision.
The good news is that all of our applicants who were serious about obtaining an anchoring service dog were able to raise the funds through various fundraising venues. These have included online websites such as GoFundMe, YouCaring, Rally.org, and FundAnything. They are easy to use and provide a starting point. Many families have gotten creative and arranged raffles, live theater and concerts, and tapped into resources available to their communities. Several of our families have raised the entire amount in less than 3 months by reaching out and effectively telling their story through various local media outlets. We will assist each family accepted into our program by placing you in contact with other AAD families that have been through this process and may be able to provide additional ideas and insights.
The client’s financial obligation is generally broken down into 3 payments that are related to their dog’s training schedule:
• one-third at the beginning of the process to purchase the dog and start the training cycle
• one-third at the end of foundation training (at approximately 3 months)
• the final third at the end when all behaviors are being finished and proofed (this varies with each individual dog, but a reasonable estimate is 6-8 months) or before Team Training starts.
Please keep in mind that clients will incur additional expenses over time due to the regular upkeep of their service dog which includes food, grooming, veterinary care, equipment, and treats.