The Cohasset Working Dog Foundation awards grants to disabled individuals in the Town of Cohasset, Massachusetts toward the purchase and training of Service Dogs. Unfortunately, we are a very small local foundation and are not able to award grants outside of our immediate area.
A trained service dog, also referred to as an assistance dog, can enable a person with a disability to experience a more independent, safe and enjoyable life. Service Dogs can be individually trained to perform specific tasks for people with a wide variety of disabilities such as:
Vision Impairment Hearing Impairment
Mobility Impairment Diabetes
Autism Cardiac conditions
Seizures
Assistance dogs can pull a wheelchair, guide people who are blind, alert to sounds for those who are deaf, alert and protect a person who is having a seizure, cardiac event or dangerous blood sugar swing. Common tasks might also include picking up dropped items, turning on and off lights, “grounding” an autistic child or calling for help. Assistance dogs are working animals, and go through rigorous training to be prepared to assist their owners.
The purchase, raising and advanced training of a service dog can take up to two years and can cost upwards of $20,000, putting a personal service dog out of reach for many. The mission of the Cohasset Working Dog Foundation is to assist Cohasset residents by covering a significant portion of the financial commitment, helping to match the recipient with the most appropriate provider/training agency, assisting in additional fundraising activities, and providing support as needed to ensure a successful long term partnership. Grants of up to $10,000 are available.
Grant applicants must have the ability to provide daily care and ongoing training for a service dog or live with an adult who will be responsible for its care. Food, grooming and veterinary care will also be the responsibility of the recipient or his/her family.
Application requests can be made by providing your name and mailing address via email to info@cohassetworkingdog.org or by mail to:
The Cohasset Working Dog Foundation
PO Box 45, Cohasset, MA 02025
For more information, please contact Trish Morse at 781-383-1622 or at info@cohassetworkingdog.org.
The Cohasset Working Dog Foundation was founded in 2011 to support the service of working dogs in Cohasset, Massachusetts, including Cohasset’s Police K-9 Program, personal service dogs for community residents and therapy dogs who visit hospitals, nursing homes, libraries, schools and individuals upon request.