Puppies Behind Bars
Puppies Behind Bars is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that trains incarcerated individuals at seven New York State correctional facilities to raise service dogs for wounded veterans, first responders, and police, plus explosive-detection canines for federal law enforcement.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Puppies Behind Bars does
Puppies Behind Bars (PBB) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1997 and headquartered in New York, NY, that trains service, facility, and explosive-detection canines. The core operating model places puppies with incarcerated volunteer raisers at seven New York State correctional facilities (Bedford Hills, Eastern, Fishkill, Green Haven, Otisville, Sing Sing since March 2024, and Wallkill) from age 8 weeks for approximately 24 months; raisers contribute daily grooming, socialization, and obedience work, and additional socialization occurs through weekend volunteer puppy-sitters in the community. PBB breeds its own dogs in-house, controls lineage across multiple generations, and exposes each dog to more than 10,000 hours of structured socialization before placement.
The organization's portfolio includes four registered service programs: Dog Tags® (service dogs for combat veterans from Iraq/Afghanistan with PTSD, TBI, or physical injuries, established 2006), Backup Buddy® (service dogs for first responders with PTSD or physical injuries, launched 2018), Facility Dogs for Police Departments (officer wellness, community policing, and court-testimony support), and Facility Dogs for Schools (staff and student wellness). A fifth line, the Explosive-Detection Canine (EDC/ADC) program, supplies trained canines to the ATF, U.S. Marshals, and state police departments for venue sweeps, crime-scene investigation, and major public events. Dogs that do not qualify as working dogs are placed via a fee-based adoption program.
PBB is funded almost entirely through philanthropy: one-time and recurring individual donations, planned/legacy gifts (Legacy Stewards program covering wills, trusts, beneficiary designations, retirement accounts, life insurance, and donor-advised funds), seasonal merchandise (holiday cards and photo booklets), and adoption fees from released dogs. Service dogs are provided at no cost to qualified veterans, first responders, and law enforcement agencies; PBB covers the full cost of a 14-day on-site team training at a facility in upstate New York, including hotel, transportation, and meals. Operational legitimacy rests on Charity Navigator's Four-Star rating, ADI (Assistance Dogs International) accreditation, and Federal CFC #11902 listing. The organization runs a 12-person staff and operates from 263 West 38th Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10018, with a board chaired by a Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft partner and treasurers and secretaries from Goldman Sachs and Blackstone.
Puppies Behind Bars firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Puppies Behind Bars
- Legal name
- Puppies Behind Bars
- Website
- https://puppiesbehindbars.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Puppies Behind Bars is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that trains incarcerated individuals at seven New York State correctional facilities to raise service dogs for wounded veterans, first responders, and police, plus explosive-detection canines for federal law enforcement.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Puppies Behind Bars industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Service Dog Training & Placement
- NAICS
- Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291), Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (812910)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Animal Boarding (Kennels, Catteries) (AFAEALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Overnight Kennel Boarding (Dogs) (HSANADAA), Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA)
Keywords
Where Puppies Behind Bars is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices8 records
Markets served
Puppies Behind Bars business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Contributions: PBB accepts one-time and recurring donations from individuals. Donations support the costs of breeding, raising, and training service dogs.
- Legacy/Estate Gifts: Legacy Stewards program allows donors to include PBB in their estate plans through wills, trusts, beneficiary designations, retirement accounts, life insurance, and donor-advised funds.
- Adoption Fees: Released dogs not suitable for working roles are placed for adoption. Fees help offset costs of raising and training puppies in the program.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Free service dogs for qualified veterans and first responders |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Puppies Behind Bars product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Puppies Behind Bars is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that trains incarcerated individuals to raise and socialize service dogs, facility dogs, and explosive-detection canines. The organization places these dogs at no cost with combat veterans (Dog Tags®), first responders (Backup Buddy®), police departments, schools, and federal/state law enforcement agencies. Operations are anchored in seven New York State correctional facilities and a community volunteer socialization network.
Product overview
Puppies Behind Bars is a non-profit organization offering a portfolio of service dog programs rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include Dog Tags® (service dogs for combat veterans with PTSD/TBI), Backup Buddy® (service dogs for first responders), Facility Dogs for Police Departments, Facility Dogs for Schools, and the Explosive-Detection Canine Program (EDC) for law enforcement. Supporting programs include a Prison Puppy-Raiser Program that trains incarcerated individuals to raise puppies in seven New York State correctional facilities, and a Volunteer Puppy Sitter Program for community socialization. Dogs that do not qualify as working dogs are offered for adoption through the Adoption of Released Dogs program. All programs share the common foundation of breeding, raising, and training dogs in prison environments before placement with recipients.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Dog Tags®: Service dog program for combat veterans who have suffered physical injury, including traumatic brain injury (TBI) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Puppies are raised and trained in prison from age 8 weeks until placement at 20-28 months of age.
- Backup Buddy®
- EDC (Explosive-Detection Canine) Program
Products and services
- Dog Tags® Service Dogs for Veterans Service dog program placing Labrador retrievers with combat veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan who have PTSD, TBI, or physical injuries. Dogs are raised and trained in prison from 8 weeks of age until placement at 20-28 months. Recipients attend a 14-day on-site team training in upstate NY at no cost.
- Backup Buddy® Service Dogs for First Responders Service dog program for frontline first responders (police officers, firefighters, and other emergency personnel) with PTSD or physical injuries from the job. Dogs receive at least 10,000 hours of socialization before placement, and recipients complete a 14-day training program at the upstate NY facility at PBB's expense.
- Facility Dogs for Police Departments Facility dogs placed with active-duty police officers to support officer wellness, community policing initiatives, and victim support during court testimony for survivors of violent crimes.
- Facility Dogs for Schools Facility dogs placed in select schools to support staff and student wellness and engagement.
- Explosive-Detection Canine (EDC) Program Explosive-detection canine (EDC) and acceleration-detection canine (ADC) program for federal and state law enforcement. Dogs work with ATF, U.S. Marshals, state police departments, and fire investigators, sweeping stadiums before major sporting events, supporting Presidential inaugurations, and detecting spent shell casings and accelerant evidence at crime scenes.
- Adoption of Released Dogs Pet adoption program for puppies released from the program because they do not meet working dog requirements. Adoption fees offset the costs of raising and training subsequent puppies in the program.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 3,000 puppies raised and placed as working dogs
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Puppies Behind Bars
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Puppies Behind Bars technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Puppies Behind Bars partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives)corePBB provides explosive-detection canines (EDCs) to ATF for law enforcement operations including venue sweeps and crime investigation.
- U.S. MarshallscorePBB provides explosive-detection canines to U.S. Marshalls Service for federal law enforcement operations.
- State Police DepartmentscorePBB provides explosive-detection canines to various state police departments for law enforcement operations.
- New York State Correctional FacilitiescoreSeven New York State correctional facilities host the puppy-raising program: Bedford Hills, Eastern, Fishkill, Green Haven, Otisville, Sing Sing (since March 2024), and Wallkill. Incarcerated individuals volunteer as puppy-raisers.
- Community Volunteer SittersminorWeekend puppy sitting program involves families hosting puppies in their homes at least one overnight per month, and 'Puppies by the Hour' day trip volunteers. Requires 4-month commitment and training.
- Assistance Dogs International (ADI)coreADI is the global accrediting body for assistance dog organizations. PBB is accredited through ADI, providing legitimacy and adherence to industry standards.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Puppies Behind Bars competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Canine Companions for Independence: Largest U.S. non-profit provider of service dogs, placing dogs with veterans, individuals with disabilities, and professionals. Directly comparable to PBB's Dog Tags® and Backup Buddy® mission, though without the prison-based puppy-raising architecture.
- America's VetDogs: Non-profit that trains and places service dogs with disabled veterans and first responders. Operates similar recipient programs to PBB's Dog Tags® and Backup Buddy® and shares the ADI accreditation ecosystem.
- K9s For Warriors: Largest U.S. veteran-focused service dog organization, primarily pairing rescue dogs with military veterans suffering from PTSD, TBI, and MST. Directly comparable to PBB's Dog Tags® recipient segment.
- NEADS World Class Service Dogs: Accredited non-profit that trains service dogs for veterans, children, and professionals, and operates a prison puppy-raising program similar in concept to PBB's prison-based model.
- 4 Paws for Ability: Non-profit training service dogs for children with disabilities and veterans; comparable to PBB in service-dog placement mission, scale, and use of volunteer puppy-raisers.
- Southeastern Guide Dogs: Accredited non-profit breeding and training service dogs, including for veterans with PTSD. Comparable to PBB across mission, ADI accreditation, and breeding-controlled lineage programs.
- Susquehanna Service Dogs: Regional non-profit that partners with prison inmate-handler programs to raise service dogs. Closest functional analog to PBB's prison puppy-raiser architecture, though smaller in scale.
Broad incumbents
- Guide Dogs for the Blind: Large, established guide and service dog non-profit with similar breeding, raising, and training infrastructure. Broader scope (primarily guide dogs) and larger scale than PBB, but overlapping mission and ADI accreditation.
Others
- War Dog Project: Adjacent organization focused on honoring and supporting former military working dogs. Thematically linked to PBB's veteran-and-canine mission but operating in a different functional niche (advocacy vs. service-dog placement).
- Assistance Dogs International: The accrediting body of which PBB is a member. Functions as an industry association and standards-setter for assistance-dog organizations; relevant as the umbrella ecosystem rather than a direct service competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Puppies Behind Bars social profiles
Digital presencePuppies Behind Bars compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Puppies Behind Bars financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Puppies Behind Bars leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles21 records
Puppies Behind Bars funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Puppies Behind Bars M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Puppies Behind Bars
What does Puppies Behind Bars do?
Puppies Behind Bars is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that trains incarcerated individuals to raise and socialize service dogs, facility dogs, and explosive-detection canines. The organization places these dogs at no cost with combat veterans (Dog Tags®), first responders (Backup Buddy®), police departments, schools, and federal/state law enforcement agencies. Operations are anchored in seven New York State correctional facilities and a community volunteer socialization network.
Is Puppies Behind Bars a public or private company?
Puppies Behind Bars is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Puppies Behind Bars founded?
Puppies Behind Bars was founded in 1997. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Puppies Behind Bars based?
Puppies Behind Bars is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Puppies Behind Bars make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Contributions are the primary driver. The others are legacy/Estate Gifts and adoption Fees.
Who are Puppies Behind Bars's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Canine Companions for Independence, America's VetDogs, K9s For Warriors, NEADS World Class Service Dogs, 4 Paws for Ability, Southeastern Guide Dogs and Susquehanna Service Dogs. Guide Dogs for the Blind is listed as a broad incumbent. Others are War Dog Project and Assistance Dogs International.
Does Puppies Behind Bars have an API?
No public API is recorded for Puppies Behind Bars.
What industry is Puppies Behind Bars in?
Puppies Behind Bars's product category is Service Dog Training & Placement. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAEALAA, Animal Boarding (Kennels, Catteries), with a secondary code of HSANADAA, Overnight Kennel Boarding (Dogs). Its NAICS code is 81291 and its SIC code is 8300.