Duo Dogs, Inc. (formerly Support Dogs, Inc.)

Creating extraordinary bonds between people and dogs.

Dogs and humans experience dynamic relationships that are mutually beneficial and that can improve quality of life, reduce stress, bring comfort and open doors to independence.

WHO WE SERVE:
Duo Mobility Dogs assist clients with activities like opening and closing doors, picking up dropped items, retrieving objects, and undressing.

Duo Hearing Alert Dogs alert people who are deaf or hard of hearing to important sounds such as doorbells, alarms, and phones.

Duo Facility Dogs are placed in locations such as courtrooms, children's advocacy centers, hospitals and schools that serve physically, psychologically or socially at-risk or vulnerable populations. They are used as an adjunct or complement to therapeutic interactions by licensed or certified workers that have been trained as handlers by Duo Dogs.

Duo PTSD Dogs serve local Veterans with a diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder residing within 50 miles of the Duo Dogs facility. Duo's PTSD Dogs provide social-emotional support to their handlers. They help to improve client ties to the community and increase client confidence in navigate public spaces independently and together with their families.

Duo Touch Therapy
Duo's Touch therapy program was started in 1989 in response to the medical community need for the use of pet assisted therapy in patient treatments. The Touch program involves volunteers and their personal dogs that are certified to visit hospitals, nursing homes, hospice, treatment centers, residential facilities and schools in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Touch teams also visit local schools and libraries participating in our Paws for Reading program, designed to help young people by using dogs as an incentive to read. As these programs are volunteer-based, there is no cost to facilities receiving visits from Touch Therapy teams. There are over 200 active Touch Therapy Teams in visiting over 100 facilities in the Saint Louis Area.

Duo's Paws for Reading Program impacts the St. Louis community by engaging students in reading through the nonjudgmental incentive that dogs provide. Reading and communication are vital developmental components for students between the ages of six and fourteen. Students without strong literacy skills find they are at a serious disadvantage in learning and, eventually, in the working world. Children learning how to read benefit greatly from incentives that engage them in reading.

WHAT WE ACCOMPLISH:
90+ Assistance Dogs Teams working nationwide are provided at no charge to our clients
95% of Assistance Dog clients maintain/improve their quality of life
250,000+ patients/residents receiving visits from Touch Therapy Teams annually
over 200 Active Touch Teams
Over 100 sites registered for visits from Touch Therapy Teams at no cost to the facility
25 Puppies being loved and trained by our volunteer puppy raisers at any given time
Over 500 total Duo Volunteers helping to contribute to Duo meeting its mission objectives