Our Mission
Provide service dogs, facility dogs, and emotional support dogs to veterans with physical and/or mental health challenges at no cost to the veteran or their family.
Service Dogs Give Veterans a New Leash on Life
Our Model
Veterans Moving Forward, Inc. (VMF), a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, provides service dogs and canine therapy services to veterans with physical and/or mental health challenges, no cost to the veterans.
VMF’s services are available to any veteran of any generation, who served honorably, has physical and/or mental challenges resulting from military operations and/or accident or disease experienced during or subsequent to military service, lives in the continental United States, Hawaii or Alaska, and can benefit from a service dog.
VMF’s service dog training protocol includes:
- Socialization and Obedience training builds the foundation for a successful relationship with the dog and handler.
- Service Task Training may include; retrieval skills, light switch operation, door opening and closing, shopping assistance and PTSD interruption.
- Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certification and Urban CGC certification are obtained by an outside organization for each canine.
- Advanced skill training to meet the Veterans specific needs starts after matching the service team.
VMF Differentiators:
- Veteran and Service Dogs are matched based on personality and temperament, needs of the Veteran and the skill set of the dog
- We will assist in linking the Veteran with a veterinarian near the Veterans home to provide follow up care for the Service Dog
- VMF follow up support and communication to include monthly communications, monthly health and welfare reports, a 3 month visit from VMF canine team at the Veterans home and then on an as needed basis for future support
- Yearly checkups to include a Public Access Test and refresher training
