Project Description:
Annual Narrative-AGS 2015-2016
Aggie Guide-Dogs & Service-Dogs (AGS) is a student-run organization at Texas A&M University that began in 1997. The mission of AGS is to educate about, fundraise for, promote the training and use of service dogs, and to increase awareness about how these animals help the individuals with disabilities who use them. It formally affiliated with the Center on Disability and Development in 2010. The main outcome of AGS is training a number of puppies to extremely high levels in order to become service dogs that can be placed with human partners to increase that persons independence and overall quality of life. In addition to helping with daily life tasks, service dogs have also been found to facilitate social interactions and decrease social distancing that individuals living with disabilities sometimes experience.
Through the assistance of Puppy Trainers, AGS trains carefully-screened puppies to obey and behave appropriately in public places, as well as perform commands unique to service dogs. Puppy Trainers are carefully selected from the Texas A&M University and Blinn College student body, and must complete rigorous training in dog behavior/care, legal rights of people with disabilities, and in interacting with the public, before being training a puppy for 12 18 months. During this time, the Puppy Trainers provide Phase I training, which includes basic obedience training and socializing the puppy to a wide variety of people, dogs, and social context.
All members of AGS serve as informal educational resources for those interested in either disability services or service dog training. AGS holds biweekly meetings through which it educates its members on the needs of people with disabilities and the service animals that serve them. Puppy Trainers, in particular, are highly visible resources for people interested in training or obtaining a service dog. AGS Trainers dispense information about service dogs and the needs of people with disabilities. AGS members routinely educate businesses on access laws for service dogs and their handlers through in-person interactions and, on occasion formal letters when advocacy is needed. Furthermore, AGS members educate individual citizens about these disability access laws when they inquire as to why AGS dogs in training are allowed into public facilities. The confident, knowledgeable presence of AGS Members combined with high, strict standards for AGS dogs behavior has notably increased the overall level of access for service dogs in Brazos County and beyond.
After the conclusion of training, AGS puppies are donated to a nationally recognized service dog training school for Phase II training. Phase II typically lasts about six months, and focuses on training specific skills to assist their future partner. At that point, the dog is then permanently placed with their partner with disabilities. AGS endeavors to graduate seven to ten dogs to advanced training facilities, who then match these dogs with individuals with disabilities requesting service dogs.
AGS members also deliver formal presentations and interactive, hands-on demonstrations throughout the state of Texas to a wide variety of age groups. AGS includes community members in weekly dog training sessions alongside its service dogs in training. Additionally, AGS responds to numerous emails from people through their website, thus providing education about service dogs and their training for individuals across the country. AGS has many professional contacts to whom they refer if they cannot directly assist them in their needs. AGS Members frequently wear AGS merchandise and answer inquiries about AGS mission and service dogs in general.
Activities
1. Recruit volunteers from students and local community members
2. Train/educate students and community members about service dogs through presentations
3. Disseminate information through the website, paw prints, advertising, etc
4. Support our goals through fundraising
Products
1. Dog ID cards
2. Trainer ID cards
3. Business cards
4. T-shirts / fleeces
5. Puppy Trainer Handbook
6. Paw Prints (Bi-weekly newsletter)
7. Website
8. Jackets
9. Brochure
10. Information boards
11. Emails to General Public
During 2015-2016, AGS recruited new members from the Texas A&M student body and consisted of 150 formal members that met at 14 meetings during the academic year. Along with our formal members, AGS had 150 students and community members attend one or more of our events. During its biweekly meetings it educated its members on the needs of people with disabilities and the service animals that serve them. Guest presentations at these meetings included Texas Search and Rescue (TXSAR), AKC Retriever Club, and Bryan Police Department K9 Unit. AGS also recruited new members from the general Texas A&M student body at two Open House meetings during both the Fall and Spring semesters.
AGS members delivered formal presentations and interactive, hands-on demonstrations through several venues. AGS members provided educational programs to six different groups over the course of the year, including a companion animal science class at Texas A&M and a local Girl Scout Troop. In addition, AGS included approximately 80 community members as part of 8 dog-training sessions alongside its service dogs in training. Members of AGS also serve as informal educational resources for those interested in either disability services or service dog training. Puppy Trainers, in particular, are highly visible resources for people interested in training or obtaining a service dog and provide informal information about the program and the need for service dogs on a daily basis. AGS members occasionally do brief educational outreach through Class Hops where they distribute information about their organization and solicit funds for maintenance of the puppies in training.
AGS updated their website during this annual year and published biweekly newsletters, which it disseminated both through its website and to its members. In addition, AGS Officers respond to approximately 450 emails per year from people through their website, providing education about service dogs and their training for individuals across the country.
AGS engaged in several fundraising activities, including Doggies in Disguise, where the puppies dress in a costume, a Puppy Love Valentine fundraiser, and multiple profit shares with local businesses. All of these activities were also used for educational outreach and distributing information about AGS.
Total number of members = 210
Target Audience:
Community Trainees / Short term trainees, Family Members/Caregivers, Adults with Disabilities, Children/Adolescents with Disabilities/SHCN, General Public
