Service Dog Project

What Service Dog Project does

Service Dog Project, now operating as Mobility Danes of New England, Inc. (MDNE), is a Massachusetts-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that breeds, raises, trains, and donates Great Dane service dogs at no cost to recipients with balance and mobility challenges, and to veterans with PTSD, anxiety, and related conditions. The organization operates an end-to-end service dog program: a specialized breeding program with mandatory OFA screening for breeding stock, on-site whelping and neonatal care at its Ipswich/New Ipswich facility, an approximately 1.5-year comprehensive training curriculum, and a host family volunteer program that places young dogs in community homes while professional trainers guide development. Placed dogs are trained for steady harness support, gait-matched pacing, and controlled halts and braces to help handlers regain footing or rise after a fall, with post-placement training and support continuing for each team.

The organization's primary customers are individuals living with mobility and balance limitations and veterans with service-related mental health conditions; dogs are placed through an application and matching process with no charge to recipients. Revenue is entirely donation-based, sourced from individual contributions, community fundraising events (including the recurring "Gone to the Dogs" monthly fundraiser and annual events such as "Paws Ahoy, Cast for a Cause"), corporate sponsorships (e.g., Purina, Home Depot, Lowe's, CVS, Costco, Tractor Supply, TJ Maxx, Market Basket), merchandise/apparel sales, and community sponsors (e.g., Legion Riders Woburn, Solimine, Wolf Hill Garden Center). Go-to-market is community-led, relying on social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X), a website with donation infrastructure, an email newsletter, livestream puppy cameras via explore.org, and grassroots volunteer engagement. The legal entity is a private nonprofit with no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed institutional investors.

Name

Service Dog Project

Legal name

Mobility Danes of New England, Inc.

Website

https://servicedogproject.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Service Dog Project (Mobility Danes of New England) is a Massachusetts 501(c)(3) nonprofit that breeds, trains, and donates Great Dane service dogs at no cost to individuals with balance and mobility challenges and to veterans with PTSD and anxiety.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Service Dog Training

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Overnight Kennel Boarding (Dogs) (HSANADAA)

Keywords

• Service dog training
• Mobility assistance
• Veteran support
• Great Dane breeding
• Nonprofit services

Headquarters

HQ city

New Ipswich

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Service Dog Project relies entirely on community donations, fundraising events, and charitable support to sustain operations. The organization provides all service dogs at no cost to recipients, making donations the primary revenue source.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Service Dog Project, now operating as Mobility Danes of New England, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Ipswich, Massachusetts, that breeds, raises, and trains Great Dane service dogs and places them at no cost with recipients who need mobility and balance support, as well as with veterans dealing with PTSD and anxiety.

Product overview

Service Dog Project (now Mobility Danes of New England) operates as a single-program nonprofit offering trained Great Dane service dogs at no cost. The organization encompasses a breeding program (with OFA screening for all potential breeding dogs), a 1.5-year comprehensive training program, and a host family placement program. Dogs are bred and raised at their Massachusetts facility and placed with recipients experiencing balance/mobility challenges or Veterans with PTSD and anxiety. The portfolio consists of the core service dog program, the veterans-specific program, the breeding program, and post-placement support services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Trained Great Dane Mobility Service Dogs Fully trained Great Dane service dogs provided at no cost to individuals who need physical bracing, counterbalance, and balance support in daily living.
• Great Dane Service Dog Placement for Veterans with PTSD and Anxiety Great Dane service dogs trained and placed with veterans experiencing PTSD and anxiety to provide emotional and psychological support, offered at no cost to the recipient.

Quantifiable outcome

• 180+ certified Great Dane service dogs donated free of charge

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• PurinaminorOthersCorporate sponsor providing product support. Purina is a major pet food brand that supports animal welfare organizations and service dog programs.
• CostcominorOthersCorporate sponsor/donor supporting the nonprofit's mission through donations or sponsorships.
• Home DepotminorOthersCorporate sponsor providing support for the service dog organization.
• LowesminorOthersCorporate sponsor/donor supporting the nonprofit's mission.
• CVSminorOthersCorporate sponsor supporting the service dog nonprofit organization.
• Tractor SupplyminorOthersCorporate sponsor providing support for animal-related nonprofit programs.
• TJ MaxxminorOthersCorporate sponsor/donor supporting the organization's charitable mission.
• Market BasketminorOthersRegional sponsor supporting the Massachusetts-based nonprofit.
• Legion Riders WoburnminorOthersLocal veterans motorcycle organization providing support and sponsorship.
• SolimineminorOthersLocal business sponsor supporting the service dog program.
• Wolf Hill Garden CenterminorOthersLocal garden center sponsor supporting the nonprofit.
• Tony Lamb Graphic DesignsminorOthersLocal graphic design business providing creative services support.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ECAD (Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities): Nonprofit training service dogs for individuals with physical disabilities and veterans with PTSD. Comparable in selective breeding, volunteer host family raising, and free placement model.
• The Seeing Eye: One of the oldest guide dog training schools, breeding and training dogs placed with people who are blind. Highly comparable in structured breeding-to-placement pipeline and nonprofit funding model.
• NEADS (National Education for Assistance Dog Services): Nonprofit service dog organization that trains and places dogs with people with physical disabilities and veterans. Highly comparable in target beneficiary segments and donation-funded nonprofit model.
• Guiding Eyes for the Blind: Nonprofit guide dog school providing trained dogs to individuals with vision loss. Comparable in selective breeding program, intensive multi-stage training, and free placement to recipients funded by donations.
• Dogs for Better Lives (formerly Dogs for the Deaf): Nonprofit that rescues and trains service dogs for people with hearing loss and other disabilities. Comparable in nonprofit rescue/training pipeline and free placement to recipients.
• K9s For Warriors: Nonprofit that provides service dogs to veterans suffering from PTSD and trauma. Direct overlap on the Veterans Service Dog Program offered by Service Dog Project.
• America's VetDogs: Nonprofit that trains and places service dogs with veterans and first responders with disabilities, including mobility needs. Directly comparable in veteran-focused service dog mission.
• Paws With a Cause: Nonprofit that trains and places service dogs for individuals with disabilities, including mobility assistance. Comparable in donor-supported model, volunteer host family program, and free placement to recipients.
• Canine Companions for Independence: National 501(c)(3) nonprofit that breeds, raises, and trains service dogs free of charge to individuals with disabilities, including mobility challenges. Most directly comparable to Service Dog Project in mission, nonprofit funding model, and free-to-recipient placement.
• Freedom Service Dogs: Nonprofit providing custom-trained service dogs to clients with disabilities and veterans, free of charge. Comparable in client-tailored training, post-placement support, and donation-based funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/servicedogpr?lang=en
• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=o7C4_TpcNuA
• Facebookfacebook.com/ServiceDogProject
• Instagraminstagram.com/servicedogproject/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/service-dog-project-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Service Dog Project