Little Angels Service Dogs

What Little Angels Service Dogs does

Little Angels Service Dogs is a 501(c)-equivalent entity (EIN 27-3515067) founded in 2006 by Katie Gonzalez in San Diego, California, that trains and places service dogs with individuals living with disabilities. Its core offering is a multi-year service dog placement program in which dogs receive approximately 600 hours of training, often originating from an internal breeding program producing Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Standard Poodles, and Doodles with OFA/PennHIP and CERF health clearances, or from donated puppies (e.g., Labs Adored). Specialized service types span Autism Assistance, Diabetic Alert, Hearing Assistance, Medical Alert (POTS, anxiety, allergic reactions), Mobility Assistance, Psychiatric Service, and Seizure Alert dogs, with a noted specialization in medical alert training via scent sample collection and the proprietary 'alert game' methodology.

The organization operates a three-tier production pipeline: a volunteer foster program raising puppies through year one, a prison-based advanced training program (PUPS, partnering with facilities including Central California Women's Facility), and final individualized task training before placement. Each dog reportedly costs more than $60,000 to train, and recipients participate in fundraising to cover costs. The organization is ADI accredited, GuideStar Platinum-rated, and Charity Navigator three-star rated, and has placed more than 200 service dog teams as of February 2025 across San Diego County CA, Nacogdoches County TX, and the New England region.

Little Angels is funded almost entirely through individual donations, fundraising campaigns (Giving Tuesday, East Texas Giving Day), a monthly giving program (Angel GEM), and a corporate partnership program that includes Walmart, Neurelis, Ruffwear, Grandma Lucy's, Labs Adored, Benebone, Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, and RAWZ. It has 16 staff members and 47 volunteers, and supplements its core placement service with adjacent programs including Owner-Training Service Dog Lessons, FETCH for Schools, Touched By An Angel, and an Adopt A Pet companion-dog adoption channel.

Name

Little Angels Service Dogs

Legal name

Little Angels Service Dogs

Website

https://littleangelsservicedogs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Little Angels Service Dogs is a nonprofit founded in 2006 that trains and places specialized service dogs (seizure, diabetic, mobility, psychiatric, autism, hearing) with individuals with disabilities across California, Texas, and New England.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Service Dog Training and Placement

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Behavioral Medicine & Training-Integrated Veterinary Services (HLAMAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Service & Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Accommodations Management (EDALAGAK)

Keywords

• Service dog training
• Disability assistance dogs
• Medical alert dogs
• Mobility service dogs
• Psychiatric service dogs

Headquarters

HQ city

Jamul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: As a nonprofit organization, Little Angels Service Dogs relies primarily on donations from individuals, corporate partners, and fundraising campaigns. The organization runs Giving Tuesday campaigns and accepts various forms of charitable contributions.
2. Service Dog Placement: Recipients may be required to fundraise or pay fees to cover the cost of training service dogs. A single service dog costs more than $60,000 to train.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Little Angels Service Dogs is a nonprofit organization that trains and places fully trained service dogs with individuals living with disabilities such as autism, diabetes, hearing loss, mobility limitations, psychiatric conditions, and seizure disorders. Each dog receives approximately 600 hours of individualized training, is matched to a recipient's needs and lifestyle, and is supported with handler training plus lifetime post-placement support. The organization also runs an internal breeding program, a foster program, a prison puppy training program (PUPS), and owner-training lessons.

Product overview

Little Angels Service Dogs is a nonprofit organization offering service dog training and placement services for individuals living with disabilities. The organization provides a comprehensive suite of specialized service dog types including Autism Assistance Dogs, Diabetic Alert Dogs, Hearing Assistance Dogs, Medical Alert Dogs, Mobility Assistance Dogs, Psychiatric Service Dogs, and Seizure Alert Dogs. Supporting these core placement services are multiple programs including an internal Breeding Program (producing puppies with OFA/PennHIP certification), a Foster Program for puppy development, the Prison Program (PUPS) for advanced training, FETCH for Schools educational outreach, and Owner-Training Service Dog Lessons for self-directed training. The organization was founded in 2006 and is ADI accredited, having placed over 200 service dog teams as of February 2025.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FETCH for Schools: A program for schools partnering with Little Angels Service Dogs
• PUPS (Prison Program)
• Touched By An Angel
• Angel GEM

Products and services

• Service Dog Training and Placement Core program that trains and places fully trained service dogs with individuals living with disabilities; each dog is individually trained, matched to the recipient, and supported with 1:1 pre- and post-placement support for the lifetime of the dog.
• Autism Assistance Dogs Service dogs trained to assist individuals with autism spectrum disorder, providing support for safety, emotional regulation, and independence.
• Diabetic Alert Dogs Service dogs trained to detect and alert to blood sugar fluctuations (high/low) in individuals with diabetes, enabling timely intervention.
• Hearing Assistance Dogs Service dogs trained to alert deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals to important sounds such as alarms, doorbells, and names being called.
• Medical Alert Dogs Service dogs trained to detect and alert to medical conditions including POTS, panic, anxiety, repetitive behaviors, allergic reactions, and other conditions beyond seizures and diabetes.
• Mobility Assistance Dogs Service dogs trained to assist individuals with mobility limitations, including wheelchair users and those with conditions like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, retrieving items, opening doors, and providing stability.
• Psychiatric Service Dogs Service dogs trained to assist individuals with psychiatric conditions including PTSD, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and agoraphobia, providing emotional support and task-specific assistance.
• Seizure Alert Dogs Service dogs trained to alert to seizures before they occur and respond during seizures by retrieving medication, dialing phones, and providing safety support.
• Breeding Program Internal breeding program producing puppies specifically raised as service dogs; breeding dogs are OFA or PennHIP certified for hips and elbows, with heart clearance and CERF for eyes; breeds include Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Standard Poodles, and Doodles.
• Foster Program Volunteer program where individuals or families foster puppies during their first year of development, providing socialization and basic training before advanced training begins.
• Prison Program (PUPS) Partnership program with correctional facilities such as the Central California Women's Facility (CCWF), where incarcerated volunteers help train service dogs under staff supervision.
• Touched By An Angel Support program for individuals and families through their service dog journey, providing guidance and community throughout placement.
• FETCH for Schools School-based program that brings service dog training education and awareness to educational settings.
• Owner-Training Service Dog Lessons Lessons and curriculum for individuals who choose to train their own dogs as service dogs, providing professional guidance.
• Adopt A Pet Dog Adoption program offering pet dog adoptions for individuals seeking companion animals rather than service dogs.
• Handler Training Training program for individuals matched with service dogs, teaching them how to work with their dog, continue training, and handle public access situations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200 service dog teams placed since 2006
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RAWZcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Natural pet food company that made a generous donation to Little Angels. The company donates 100% of profits to nonprofits including service dog organizations.
• RuffwearcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRuffwear, an outdoor gear company for dogs, is a corporate partner providing product support for service dogs.
• NeureliscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNeurelis is a corporate partner supporting Little Angels Service Dogs programs.
• Catalyst PharmaceuticalsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPharmaceutical company partner supporting the organization.
• BeneboneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDog chew product company providing support through product donations.
• WalmartcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWalmart provides corporate sponsorship and support for Little Angels Service Dogs.
• Grandma Lucy'scoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFamily-owned freeze-dried dog food company that donates food and treats for dogs in training. Has also sponsored a litter of puppies called the 'Office Litter.'
• Labs AdoredcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTennessee-based Labrador breeder that donates puppies to Little Angels for training as service dogs.
• One HopeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWine company that supports the organization through charitable giving programs.
• Pup & The PepperminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner company supporting the organization.
• Central California Women's Facility (CCWF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrison facility where Little Angels operates its PUPS (Prison Puppy Program), with inmates training service dogs under supervision.
• Residence InnminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHotel chain that provided support for safely holding handler training sessions during challenging periods.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Canine Companions for Independence: Largest US ADI-accredited service dog nonprofit, placing 300+ dogs per year across mobility, hearing, and psychiatric categories. Directly comparable mission, training model, and accreditation profile, but at materially greater scale.
• Summit Assistance Dogs: Pacific Northwest ADI-accredited organization placing mobility and hearing assistance dogs with adults and children with disabilities. Comparable small-team nonprofit operations and cross-disability training approach.
• NEADS World Class Service Dogs: ADI-accredited service dog organization offering hearing, service, and prison-puppy programs. Strong analog for Little Angels' PUPS prison pipeline and multi-disability placement model, with comparable cost structure and Northeast US footprint.
• Hero Dogs: Maryland-based ADI-accredited nonprofit placing mobility, hearing, and psychiatric service dogs, including for veterans. Comparable mission and program structure with a regional but multi-state footprint.
• Dogs for Better Lives: Oregon-based nonprofit providing hearing, mobility, and autism assistance service dogs. Similar ADI-accredited nonprofit structure, training intensity, and individualized matching approach.
• Paws With a Cause: Long-standing ADI-accredited organization training mobility, hearing, seizure, and diabetic alert dogs. Comparable accreditation and disability segments, with a similar volunteer-foster and prison-program training pipeline.
• 4 Paws for Ability: ADI-accredited nonprofit placing service dogs for children with disabilities including autism, seizure, and mobility needs. Highly comparable recipient base and cross-training approach, with similar fundraising-driven economics.
• Service Dogs Inc. Texas-based ADI-accredited service dog nonprofit providing mobility, hearing, and psychiatric service dogs. Strong geographic and operational analog, sharing the multi-disability training focus.

Broad incumbents

• Guide Dogs for the Blind: Large, well-funded ADI-accredited guide dog school serving visually impaired clients. Comparable nonprofit training intensity and breeding program depth, but a narrower (guide-only) functional specialty.

Emerging players

• K9s For Warriors: Largest US nonprofit providing service dogs to veterans with PTSD and TBI. Comparable training and placement model but narrower (veteran-only) recipient base and stronger government/foundation funding.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/littleangelsSD
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@littleangelsservicedogs1344
• Facebookfacebook.com/littleangelsservicedogs.ca
• Instagraminstagram.com/littleangelsservicedogs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/little-angels-service-dogs

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Little Angels Service Dogs