Summit Assistance Dogs

Name

Summit Assistance Dogs

Legal name

Summit Assistance Dogs

Website

https://summitdogs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Summit Assistance Dogs is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that trains and places mobility service dogs at no cost to people with disabilities across the Pacific Northwest (WA, OR, ID, BC).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Services - Mobility Service Dog Training and Placement

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Overnight Kennel Boarding (Dogs) (HSANADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Training-Integrated Dog Daycare (Day Training) (HSANAFAE)

Keywords

• Mobility service dog training
• Disability assistance dogs
• Service dog placement
• Nonprofit service dog organization
• Canine companion services

Headquarters

HQ city

Anacortes

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The majority of funding comes from generous individual donors who support the organization's mission to provide mobility service dogs at no cost to clients.
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants: Funding received from corporate donors, organizations and foundation grants including Microsoft Giving campaign and various business sponsors.
3. Business Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support Summit through donations and grants, with various sponsorship levels available for businesses.
4. Application Processing Fee: A $100 application processing fee is charged upon applying for a service dog to cover administrative costs.
5. Career-Changed Dog Adoptions: Released dogs may be adopted as family pets with adoption fees averaging $1,500 depending on breed and training level.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Summit Assistance Dogs trains and places highly skilled mobility service dogs with people living with disabilities in the Pacific Northwest, at no cost to clients. Dogs (primarily Labrador and Golden Retrievers) are trained over approximately two years through a multi-stage pipeline that includes volunteer puppy raising, the Prison Partnership Training Program at Monroe Correctional Complex, and professional trainer-led advanced and customized task training. Clients complete a two-week Team Training program and receive lifetime follow-up support, including required check-ins and annual public access tests.

Product overview

Summit Assistance Dogs is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing highly-skilled mobility service dogs at no cost to people living with disabilities in the Pacific Northwest. The organization's core offering is its Mobility Service Dogs program, which trains Labrador and Golden Retrievers (and mixes) over approximately two years through a multi-stage process involving volunteer puppy raisers, the Prison Partnership Training Program at Monroe Correctional Complex, and professional trainer advanced training. The organization operates a Breeding Program as a member of Assistance Dogs International Breeding Cooperative. Client services include a two-week Team Training program and lifetime follow-up support. Additional offerings include Career-Changed Dog Adoption for dogs not completing training, and the Canine Condo facility (first phase of a planned training campus on Whidbey Island). Summit has partnered more than 120 dogs with people living with disabilities since its founding in 2000 and is fully accredited by Assistance Dogs International.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mobility Service Dogs Highly-skilled mobility assistance dogs trained to assist people living with disabilities by performing tasks such as retrieving dropped items, opening/closing doors, turning lights on/off, pressing buttons, and tugging off clothing. Dogs are matched with clients based on temperament and skills, with placement provided at no cost to clients.
• Breeding Program Summit's breeding program produces Labrador and Golden Retrievers (and mixes) for service dog training. The organization is a member of the Assistance Dogs International Breeding Cooperative and collaborates with service dog programs across the USA and Canada to produce healthy, confident puppies.
• Prison Partnership Training Program Partnership with Monroe Correctional Complex where carefully screened incarcerated men help train Summit service dogs in ten-week sessions. Dogs live and work alongside incarcerated trainers, building consistency, trust, and advanced skills under the guidance of Summit's professional trainers.
• Puppy Raising & Sitting Program Volunteer-based program where puppy raisers provide long-term (minimum four months) care and basic obedience training to puppies, while puppy sitters provide short-term flexible support. Puppies live full-time with raisers who attend training classes and create real-world socialization experiences.
• Career-Changed Dog Adoption Dogs released from the service dog training program due to reactivity, high energy, prey drive, fear, aggression, medical concerns, or other reasons are available for adoption as family pets. Adoption fees average $1,500 depending on breed and training level.
• Team Training Program Two-week intensive on-site training program where newly matched client-dog teams learn to work together. Summit's trainers teach clients how to care for and communicate with their service dogs. Follow-up visits are required at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-placement, then annually, including annual public access tests.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 120 dogs partnered with people living with disabilities since 2000
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Monroe Correctional ComplexcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Since 2010, Summit has maintained a successful partnership with the Monroe Correctional Complex where carefully screened incarcerated men help train Summit service dogs. Dogs live and work alongside their incarcerated trainers in ten-week sessions, building consistency, trust, and advanced skills. Summit trainers lead regular on-site classes. Inmates gain improved communication, social skills, job skills, and a renewed sense of purpose.
• UP DOGcoreOthersUP DOG is the official harness outfitter for Summit Assistance Dogs, providing specialized harnesses for the mobility service dogs.
• Assistance Dogs International (ADI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummit is a fully accredited member of Assistance Dogs International. Summit also participates in the ADI International Breeding Cooperative, collaborating with service dog programs around the USA and Canada to produce healthy, confident puppies.
• MicrosoftcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMicrosoft employees participate in the Microsoft Giving campaign supporting Summit, including the popular Dogs of Microsoft calendar. Summit has received support through employee giving, gift matching, and workplace volunteer activities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Canine Companions for Independence: The largest US service dog organization providing mobility, hearing, and skilled companion dogs at no cost. Directly comparable mission (free service dogs for people with disabilities), but operates six regional training centers nationally—significantly larger scale than Summit.

Direct peers

• Guide Dogs for the Blind: ADl-accredited nonprofit providing guide dogs and service dogs to people with disabilities at no cost. Comparable ADI accreditation, training methodology, and no-cost client model, with broader geographic reach across the western US including Summit's territory.
• NEADS (National Education for Assistance Dog Services, now Dogs for Deaf and Disabled Americans): Nonprofit that trains service dogs for people with physical disabilities and hearing loss. Directly comparable mobility service dog mission, ADI accreditation, prison-prison-dog partnerships, and no-cost client placement model.
• Paws With a Cause: National nonprofit that custom-trains service dogs for people with disabilities, including mobility assistance. Directly comparable mission, ADI accreditation, custom task training, and no-cost client placement model.
• K9s For Warriors: Largest nonprofit service dog provider specifically for veterans with PTSD/TBI. Comparable ADI-accredited nonprofit model with prison partnership training program, but focused on a narrower (veteran) segment than Summit's mobility focus.
• Freedom Service Dogs of America: Colorado-based ADI-accredited nonprofit providing custom-trained service dogs for people with disabilities including mobility needs, and for veterans with PTSD. Comparable mission, training model, and prisoner partnership program structure.
• ECAD (Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities): Connecticut-based ADI-accredited nonprofit training mobility service dogs for veterans and people with disabilities. Directly comparable ADI accreditation, mobility service dog mission, and no-cost client delivery model.
• 4 Paws for Ability: Ohio-based nonprofit that places service dogs with children and veterans with disabilities, including mobility assistance. Comparable ADI-aligned training methodology and no-cost client model, with broader condition coverage than Summit.
• Canine Partners of the Rockies: Colorado-based ADI-accredited nonprofit training mobility and skilled companion service dogs. Highly comparable mission, training program structure, and no-cost client placement; both are smaller, regional ADI-accredited orgs.

Regional players

• Service Dogs of Virginia: ADI-accredited nonprofit training mobility service dogs for veterans and individuals with physical disabilities. Comparable mission, ADI accreditation, and custom task training approach; serves a different region than Summit.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/SummitAssistanceDogs
• Facebookfacebook.com/Summitdogs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/summit-assistance-dogs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Summit Assistance Dogs