Eyes Ears Nose and Paws

What Eyes Ears Nose and Paws does

Eyes Ears Nose and Paws (EENP) is a nonprofit assistance dog organization founded in 2008 and headquartered in Hillsborough, North Carolina, that has been partnering trained dogs with clients since 2010. The organization places two principal product lines: Mobility Assistance Dogs trained to retrieve items, open doors, operate lights and elevator buttons, assist with transfers, and summon help in emergencies; and Medical Alert Dogs (primarily Diabetic Alert Dogs) trained through positive reinforcement and scent detection to identify blood sugar fluctuations and other physiological changes before medical technology can. EENP's distinctive training pipeline combines a Young Puppy Trainer volunteer socialization program (2 months to 5–8 months) with the ABEL (At Both Ends of the Leash) prison-based partnership program operating at three North Carolina correctional facilities (Warren, Caswell, Franklin) under a multi-year agreement with the NC Department of Adult Corrections, plus a Furlough program and a Work Release employment track. Approximately 50% of dogs that enter training meet the standards required for placement, and each successful placement requires roughly 1.5–2 years of training and ~$50,000 in rearing and training costs.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue structure. Clients face a $20,000 placement fee plus $600 Training Seminar tuition and a $25 non-refundable application fee, but the majority of operations are funded through individual donations (online, recurring, tribute, Venmo, stock, legacy). A scholarship program covers up to 75% of placement cost (up to $15,000) based on income and medical expenses. Distribution is direct and application-based: prospective clients submit forms, references, and an in-person interview, are placed on a waitlist, and complete a two-week on-site Team Training Seminar before placement. Service is geographically constrained to a 2.5-hour driving radius from Hillsborough, NC (with case-by-case exceptions). EENP is an accredited member of Assistance Dogs International, sources most of its dogs through the Assistance Dogs International Breeding Cooperative, and operates an open-source philosophy freely sharing techniques with the wider assistance dog industry. The organization is led by Founder/Executive Director Maria Ikenberry and Founder/Program Director Deb Cunningham, supported by a small paid staff of approximately eight and a substantial volunteer network active since 2008.

Name

Eyes Ears Nose and Paws

Legal name

Eyes Ears Nose and Paws, Inc.

Website

https://eenp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Eyes Ears Nose and Paws is a nonprofit assistance dog organization in Hillsborough, NC that trains and places Mobility Assistance Dogs and Medical Alert (Diabetic Alert) Dogs with individuals with disabilities, primarily within a 2.5-hour drive of its facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Assistance Dog Services

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Assistance dog training
• Mobility service dogs
• Diabetic alert dogs
• Service dog placement
• Medical alert dogs

Headquarters

HQ city

Chapel Hill

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Client Placement Fees: Nonprofit charges placement fees to clients for assistance dog partnerships, reflecting investment of time, energy, and money. $20,000 for Mobility Service Dog or Medical Alert Dog placement plus $600 Training Seminar tuition.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donors contribute through online donations, tribute donations, recurring donations, Venmo, stock donations, and legacy gifts. Core funding source for operations.
3. Scholarship Program: Provides financial assistance covering up to 75% of placement cost (up to $15,000) based on income and medical expenses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Eyes Ears Nose and Paws is a nonprofit organization that trains and places Mobility Assistance Dogs and Medical Alert (primarily Diabetic Alert) Dogs with individuals who have disabilities, using positive reinforcement and scent detection training methods. Dogs are raised through a Young Puppy Trainer volunteer socialization program and advanced through the ABEL (At Both Ends of the Leash) prison-based training partnership with the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections, with most dogs purpose-bred through the Assistance Dogs International Breeding Cooperative. Clients complete a two-week Team Training Seminar at the Hillsborough, NC facility before being partnered with their dog, with lifelong post-placement support including annual recertification.

Product overview

Eyes Ears Nose and Paws is a nonprofit assistance dog organization offering two primary service dog programs: Mobility Assistance Dogs that help individuals with physical tasks such as retrieving items, opening doors, and turning lights, and Medical Alert Dogs (including Diabetic Alert Dogs) that detect blood sugar changes through scent. The organization's training pipeline includes a Young Puppy Trainer volunteer program, the ABEL (At Both Ends of the Leash) prison-based training partnership, a Furlough program for community training, and a Work Release employment program. Clients receive a two-week Team Training Seminar upon placement, followed by ongoing aftercare and annual recertification support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• At Both Ends of the Leash (ABEL): EENP's prison-based dog training program where incarcerated men transform puppies into skilled assistance dogs. The program includes a multi-year pathway supporting trainers from medium security through minimum security, work release, and into the community.

Products and services

• Mobility Assistance Dogs Trained service dogs placed with individuals who have mobility impairments, performing tasks such as retrieving items, opening doors and drawers, turning lights on and off, pushing elevator and pedestrian buttons, tugging off clothing, assisting with transfers, and finding help in emergencies. Priced at a $20,000 placement fee with a $600 Team Training Seminar tuition, plus a $25 non-refundable application fee.
• Medical Alert Dogs Dogs trained to detect changes in medical conditions through scent detection (including Diabetic Alert Dogs that detect blood sugar fluctuations), alerting clients before medical technology can detect those changes and persistently alerting or rousing others until help arrives. Priced at a $20,000 placement fee plus $600 Team Training Seminar tuition and a $25 non-refundable application fee.
• Client Team Training Seminar Two-week residential training program held at EENP's Hillsborough, NC facility and surrounding community, designed to teach clients the skills needed to maximize assistance dog partnerships, bond with their new partner, and become comfortable being in public with their dog. Includes classroom training, supervised outings, and a solo final outing. Priced at $600 tuition, billed as part of the placement package.

Quantifiable outcome

• Dogs provide over 50,000 hours of service over 8-10 year working lifetime
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.

• The New York TimesflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 December 2025Featured in New York Times opinion piece (December 2025) about EENP's work, helping raise awareness and support for assistance dog partnerships.
• CBS 17minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2025Television news feature on ABEL program aired March 2025, covering how service dogs trained in NC prisons change lives of inmates and recipients.
• NC Health NewsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 February 2024News article published February 2024 covering ABEL program at Warren Correctional Institution and its impact on incarcerated men and people with disabilities.
• NC Department of Adult Corrections (NCDAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-year partnership supporting ABEL program trainers' continuous pathway from medium security through minimum security, work release, and into the community. Provides the framework for EENP's prison dog training operations.
• Warren Correctional InstitutioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three correctional facilities hosting the ABEL program where incarcerated men train assistance dogs. Dogs enter at about 6 months old and spend 12-18 months training.
• Caswell Correctional CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorrectional facility hosting the ABEL program where incarcerated men train assistance dogs as part of the prison partnership.
• Franklin Correctional CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorrectional facility hosting the ABEL program where incarcerated men train assistance dogs. Site of graduation ceremonies and client-trainer meetups.
• Assistance Dogs International Breeding Cooperative (ABC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovative collaborative effort of assistance dog organizations that have pooled breeding resources to produce highest-quality assistance dogs. Most of EENP's pups are purpose-bred through this cooperative.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• NEADS (National Education for Assistance Dog Services): ADI-accredited nonprofit placing service dogs, hearing dogs, and service dog facility dogs across multiple client types. Comparable in mission, accreditation, and nonprofit placement-fee-plus-scholarship model, with a prison puppy-raising program.
• Canine Partners for Life: Nonprofit placing service dogs and facility dogs, including mobility assistance work similar to EENP's. Closely comparable in service mix, ADI membership, and nonprofit funding model, though with broader specialties.
• Medical Mutts: Nonprofit training service dogs for diabetes and other medical alerts, using a rescue-dog pipeline. Comparable medical alert focus and nonprofit placement model, with a different sourcing model for dogs.
• Canine Companions for Independence: Largest U.S. nonprofit assistance dog organization, placing mobility, hearing, and service dogs nationally. Directly comparable mission, ADI accreditation, and fee/scholarship model, though operating at substantially greater scale and geographic reach.
• Hero Dogs: Nonprofit placing service dogs for veterans and first responders, including mobility and medical alert work. Comparable in nonprofit service-dog-placement model, training timeline, and ADI-style standards.
• Dogs for Diabetics (D4D): Nonprofit focused specifically on Medical Alert / Diabetic Alert Dogs, directly overlapping with EENP's Medical Alert program. Closest pure-play peer for the medical scent-detection service line.
• paws4people: Nonprofit that trains and places assistance dogs for individuals with physical, neurological, psychiatric, and developmental disabilities, including a prison-based training component. Closest peer in combining mobility service dogs with a correctional training pipeline.
• 4 Paws for Ability: Nonprofit placing service dogs for children and adults with disabilities, including medical alert and mobility work. Comparable in service dog placement, nonprofit funding, and scholarship programs for placement fees.
• CARES (Canine Assistance, Rehabilitation, Education and Services): Nonprofit assistance dog organization placing service and facility dogs. Comparable in mission, ADI accreditation, and nonprofit placement-fee model, though serving a different regional footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Guide Dogs for the Blind: Large, established nonprofit in the broader assistance dog space, focused on guide dogs. Comparable ADI membership and nonprofit placement model, but operates at much greater scale and in a service category EENP has explicitly excluded.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/assistancedogs
• Instagraminstagram.com/eyesearsnoseandpaws
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eyes-ears-nose-and-paws-inc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Eyes Ears Nose and Paws