Dogs4Vets

What Dogs4Vets does

Dogs4Vets is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (legally American Service Animal Society, EIN 33-1148139) founded in 2005 by Gerad and Debbie Claseman in Gilbert, Arizona. It provides free, lifetime service dog training and certification to qualifying disabled veterans, who train their own dogs rather than receiving pre-trained animals. The program specializes in support for PTSD, mobility impairments, Traumatic Brain Injury, Military Sexual Trauma, seizure disorders, diabetes, and hearing/vision loss, and is delivered through approximately one year of weekly one-hour classes at the Gilbert training center. The facility simulates a real-world home environment — including doors, lights, telephone, full kitchen, stairs, ramps, and washer/dryer — so dogs can be trained in practical scenarios, and the program also trains dogs to detect changes in body language, stress hormones, and voice to proactively disrupt negative behaviors and summon help.

The organization's training methodology is its core technology: positive reinforcement-based instruction delivered by certified animal behaviorists, many of whom are themselves disabled veterans or family members of disabled veterans. This veteran-to-veteran trainer composition is a deliberate differentiator versus programs that place pre-trained dogs. The product offering is a single unified service (no tiers or modules), with lifetime support extending beyond the initial training year. Distribution is direct-to-beneficiary through the organization's website application process, with veterans sometimes relocating from across the country to attend the Gilbert program.

Dogs4Vets operates as a donation-funded nonprofit with no goods or services exchanged for contributions. Revenue comes from individuals, corporate sponsors (including Bashas, Northrop Grumman, MassMutual, Sundt, Sletten Companies, The Home Depot, and SRP), community/veteran organizations, and event-based fundraising such as the Holes 4 Heroes Golf Tournament. The Arizona Qualifying Charitable Organization designation (QCO #20587) enables donors to claim a dollar-for-dollar state tax credit (up to $1,009 married / $506 single), which is actively used as a donor acquisition channel. Marketing is conducted through Facebook, Instagram, the organization's website, and community events. With 1-10 employees and approximately 100 Arizona veterans served per year, the organization is a small, mission-driven operation rather than a scaled enterprise.

Name

Dogs4Vets

Legal name

American Service Animal Society

Website

https://dogs4vets.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Dogs4Vets is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free lifetime service dog training to disabled veterans who train their own dogs, serving approximately 100 veterans per year through its Gilbert, Arizona training facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veteran Service Animal Training

NAICS

Veterinary Services (54194)

SIC

Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro primary industry

Behavioral Medicine & Training-Integrated Veterinary Services (HLAMAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Veterinary Rehabilitation, Sports Medicine & Physical Therapy Centers (HLAMACAK)

Keywords

• Service dog training
• Veteran disability support
• Nonprofit assistance programs
• PTSD service dogs
• Mobility assistance training

Headquarters

HQ city

Gilbert

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

Revenue model

1. Donations: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Dogs4Vets operates entirely on donations from individuals, corporations, and organizations. No goods or services are received in exchange for donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Dogs4Vets provides lifetime, no-cost service dog training and certification for disabled veterans. Unlike programs that place pre-trained dogs, Dogs4Vets teaches qualifying disabled veterans to train their own dogs (or rescues) to perform customized tasks such as PTSD mitigation, mobility assistance, seizure/diabetes alerting, and TBI support. Veterans attend weekly classes at the Gilbert, AZ training center for approximately one year.

Product overview

Dogs4Vets operates as a single, unified service offering: a comprehensive service dog training program. Disabled veterans apply to the program, attend weekly training classes at the Gilbert, AZ facility for approximately one year, and receive lifetime training and certification for their own dog to become a service dog. The program specializes in training for PTSD, mobility assistance, seizure alert, diabetes alert, Traumatic Brain Injury, and psychological disorders. There are no separate modules, add-ons, or distinct product tiers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Service Dog Training Program A comprehensive, tailor-made service dog training program in which qualifying disabled veterans train their own dogs (or rescues) to become certified service animals. Includes weekly one-hour classes at the Gilbert, AZ facility for approximately one year plus lifetime training and certification support. Specializations include PTSD, mobility assistance, seizure alert, diabetes alert, TBI support, MST support, and hearing/vision assistance. Provided at no cost to qualifying disabled veterans.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100 disabled Arizona veterans helped per year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Holes 4 Heroes Golf TournamentminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual golf tournament event raising funds and awareness for Dogs4Vets.
• Maricopa County Animal Care and ControlminorOthersCounty animal shelter potentially providing animal welfare collaboration.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• K9s For Warriors: The largest U.S. nonprofit dedicated to providing service dogs to disabled veterans, primarily for PTSD. Trains rescue dogs (not veteran-owned) and operates a multi-state model with multiple training facilities — the most direct peer given shared mission, veteran focus, and donation-funded nonprofit model.
• America's VetDogs: National nonprofit (affiliated with Guide Dogs for the Blind) that trains and places service dogs with disabled U.S. veterans across mobility, PTSD, TBI, and hearing/vision loss. Directly comparable mission, veteran customer segment, and reliance on donations and corporate sponsors.
• Patriot Paws Service Dogs: Nonprofit that trains and places service dogs with disabled American veterans and military personnel, focused on mobility assistance and PTSD. Comparable Texas-headquartered single-facility nonprofit model with veteran-only clientele.
• Hero Dogs Inc. Maryland-based nonprofit that trains service dogs for veterans with PTSD and physical disabilities, using a volunteer home-raiser and centralized training model. Direct peer given similar donation-funded model, veteran clientele, and disability focus.
• NEADS World Class Service Dogs: Massachusetts-based nonprofit training service dogs for veterans (especially hearing loss and PTSD) and civilians with disabilities. Comparable on training-intensive service-dog model, lifetime support, and donation-funded operations.
• ECAD (Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities): Connecticut-based nonprofit training service dogs for veterans with PTSD and mobility issues. Comparable mission, nonprofit funding structure, and clinical training methodology. Smaller-scale direct peer.
• Warrior Canine Connection: Nonprofit that trains service dogs for wounded warriors, with a distinctive therapeutic training model where veterans participate in the dog training process as part of their own recovery. Highly comparable on customer base (disabled veterans) and outcomes focus.

Broad incumbents

• Southeastern Guide Dogs: Nonprofit that trains guide and service dogs for veterans and civilians with disabilities. Comparable on training-intensive service dog production model and donation funding, but broader mission and larger established footprint.
• Canine Companions for Independence: One of the largest U.S. nonprofits providing service dogs, but serving a broader population (children, adults, veterans) with multiple regional training centers. Comparable on training methodology and donation model but not veteran-specialized.
• Paws With A Cause: Michigan-based nonprofit that trains and places service dogs for people with disabilities, including veterans, with focus on mobility, hearing, and seizure alert. Broader population focus makes it a broad incumbent peer rather than direct veteran-specialized.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/americanserviceanimalsociety
• Instagraminstagram.com/dogs4vets_
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-service-animal-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Dogs4Vets