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About Us
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The gold standard in the service dog industry is achieved through accreditation with Assistance Dogs International (ADI). A.C.T.S. is proud to be one of only a few New England based organization that is ADI accredited.
Assistance Dogs International establishes and promotes standards of excellence within the assistance dog industry. Organizations are evaluated on standards in the areas of administration, training and placement, client and volunteer relations, and general dog and facility care. ADI organizations are evaluated through paperwork assessment and through site inspections every five years. When selecting an organization to work with as a volunteer or to apply for a dog, it is important that you are selecting one that is a good match for your needs, and that is also professionally and well run. ADI accreditation is one way to help determine that an organizations’ practices and procedures are well defined, thought out, and executed. Our program success is dependent a foundation that is established by bringing in purpose bred dogs and giving them a solid first two months of training and socialization through our A+ Puppy Program. Each of our puppies comes from breeding programs or individual breeders that utilize the early imprinting months for appropriate socialization exercises. Our purpose bred dogs come from Guiding Eyes for the Blind, the ADI ABC Puppy Cooperative, and a selection of special breeders. The ABC Puppy Cooperative is a group of collaborating organizations with breeding programs. Through the sharing of information and data the group is working toward excellence in the breeding of dogs appropriate for assistance dog work. Continued training of puppies is done by volunteer puppy raisers who attend weekly training sessions and who are supported daily by our experienced trainers. The A.C.T.S. Puppy Raising Program teaches volunteers not only the basic skills required for general obedience training, but also the foundation skills needed for advanced task training. Puppies undergo regular evaluations to ensure their appropriateness for service or facility work, and to assess their progress. A.C.T.S. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and is operated by a Board of Directors that oversees a team of dedicated volunteers. As a small organization, A.C.T.S. can offer the personal services that is desirable in assistance dog training and placement. Our key volunteers each have over 10 years of experience in dog training and in the service and facility therapy dog fields. They are dedicated, caring, and professional. A.C.T.S trains two types of dogs. Service Dogs are placed with individuals who are confined to a wheelchair or electric chair. These dogs are specifically trained to do tasks such as fetching, pressing buttons, and turning on and off lights. Our Facility Therapy Dogs are placed with individuals who work in professions that use animal assisted therapy. These dogs are placed with teachers, counselors, therapists, and other social service professionals. A.C.T.S was founded by Dorothy Hyde-Williams in memory of her son Nate who died tragically and unexpectedly in a bicycle accident. The organization still thrives today on the passion that comes from great loss and from believing in something good coming from tragedy. A.C.T.S. is proud to be a part of the Nathaniel J. Williams Foundation, created in memory of Nate. A.C.T.S. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. You may view our 990 forms below. Your donations to A.C.T.S. are tax deductible. 2016 990 2017 990 2018 990 2019 990 For more financial information and information on A.C.T.S. and it's work as a non-profit, visit Guidestar |
2019 Graduation
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