Two Lives Changed. One Dog.
The Rescue to Service program was built on a simple observation: shelters are full of dogs with the intelligence, drive, and temperament to do extraordinary work — and there are people whose lives could be transformed by exactly that dog.
R2S bridges that gap. We evaluate rescue dogs for service potential, bring the right candidates into the programme, and train them for specific medical alert, psychiatric, or mobility assistance tasks—then place them with handlers who need them most.
It's not rescue for rescue's sake. It's rescue with a mission.
Not Every Dog. The Right Dog.
Service dog work demands a very specific profile. Our evaluation process is thorough, honest, and designed to set every dog up for success.
Temperament
Stable, confident, and non-reactive. A service dog must remain calm in hospitals, airports, crowds, and unpredictable environments.
Drive & Motivation
Food or toy drive strong enough to sustain focused training — but not so high it becomes unmanageable in public access settings.
Trainability
Willingness to engage with a handler, take direction, and retain learned behaviors across varied environments.
Health & Soundness
Physical health, appropriate age, and structural soundness for the demands of the intended service tasks.
Nerve Strength
Recovery from startling stimuli — a dog that bounces back quickly from unexpected sounds, movements, or surfaces.
Social Neutrality
Appropriate, neutral responses to strangers, children, other animals, and novel situations.
From Rescue to Service
01
Candidate Submission
Shelters, rescues, fosters, and individuals submit dogs they believe have service potential using our candidate form.
02
Initial Screening
We review submissions and schedule in-person evaluations for dogs that meet our baseline criteria.
03
Formal Evaluation
A structured temperament and aptitude assessment conducted by our senior trainers — typically 2–3 hours.
04
Program Acceptance
Dogs that pass evaluation enter the R2S training program. We communicate outcomes to every submitter.
05
Task Training
Accepted dogs begin task-specific training matched to the needs of their future handler.
06
Handler Placement
Trained dogs are matched and placed with handlers — with ongoing support for the handler-dog team.
We Accept Candidates From
We evaluate dogs of all breeds and mixes. Breed alone does not determine suitability — temperament and drive do.
"We evaluate every candidate with honesty. If a dog isn't right for service work, we'll tell you — and help you find the right path forward."
— Yes and Dog Training
Tell Us About This Dog
Fill out the form below, and we'll review your submission. We respond to every inquiry — typically within 3–5 business days.
"*" indicates required fields
Ask Us Anything
Questions About the R2S Program?
Reach out directly — we're happy to talk through whether a dog you know might be a good candidate.