First Responder Therapy Dogs leads the way in addressing mental health needs of first responders by providing emotional support with the use of trained therapy dogs.

Our goal is to provide this free service to as many first responders across the county as possible. 

First Responders, including firefighters, paramedics, EMS, law enforcement, dispatch centers, and search and rescue personnel, answer the call to serve and protect. 

These jobs can be physically, emotionally, and mentally challenging. First Responders can  experience extreme stress, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, and even suicidal impulses. Within this population, there is a stigma attached to asking for help. 

Treatment tools such as time-off and incident debriefs are not enough. First Responder Therapy Dogs offers a new, simple, effective, free mental health tool – emotional support from a trained therapy dog—without the stigma of asking for help. 

Trained teams (handler and dog) go into the field and visit on-duty first responders. The goal is to provide this free service to as many first responders in as many locations across the country as possible. We provide this service in-the-field with a hands-on approach. All of our services are volunteer-based.

Therapy dogs have a calming effect. Their presence helps reduce blood pressure and stress while improving moods, allowing responders improved focus on the communities they serve while also receiving care for themselves. 

Research demonstrates that therapy dog services positively impact this communities' mental health challenges. Research shows that therapy dog services positively impact this population's mental health issues. 

The use of therapy dogs has demonstrated the following:

• Reduce stress and anxiety
• Lower blood pressure and slower breathing
• Improve overall mood elevation and mental state
• Increase productivity

First Responder Therapy Dogs, INC is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit. Tax ID #88-1386472.