MADISON, Wis. — A Wisconsin nonprofit gives people service animals trained specifically for them at no cost.

What You Need To Know

  • Custom Canines raises and trains service dogs for people with disabilities 

  • They go to veterans with PTSD, people with autism and people with visual impairments

  • Volunteers raise the dogs until they're about 2 years old 

  • The nonprofit is led by someone with a disability who understands the experience 

About 25% of Americans are living with a disability. Across the country, there are about 500,000 people who use service dogs. Getting a service animal can often be a long process. Sometimes, people wait for 5-8 years.

Nicole Meadowcroft has always been a dog person.

“Ever since I could hold a leash in my hand at 2 years old, I knew I was going to have to work with dogs,” she said, with her big German Shepherd Micah’s head in her lap.

Meadowcroft is the president of Custom Canines. The Madison-based nonprofit trains service animals for people with disabilities.

“The main role of our service dogs, especially in the hearts and lives of our military veterans and first responders, is that they actually save lives,” she said.

Volunteers raise the dogs from the time they’re 8 weeks old. They train them until they’re about 2, when they’re ready to go to their new family. The dog is matched with their new owner somewhere in the middle. That allows the puppy raisers to train the dog specifically for that person’s needs.

The Washburn family is training their third and fourth pups, brothers Colt and Corky.

Sometimes dogs are sponsored, so the costs of raising and training them are paid for. Colt is sponsored by the family of a military veteran who had PTSD. He was in the process of getting a service dog, but lost his battle.

“His family and friends decided to name this pup after him,” said Bob Washburn.

Staff and volunteers said there’s nothing better than giving a dog to its new owner.

“The amount of messages we get that ‘my dog saved my life today’ … those are the ones that stick out most to me, and make it all worthwhile,” Meadowcroft said.

She knows from experience what it’s like to need the extra support.

“I’m visually impaired myself, and that’s what has really driven me to help other people,” she said. “I know what it’s like to have a service dog… I just want to give that gift to everyone else that might need it.”

Custom Canines could always use more puppy raisers. The more volunteers they have, the more service dogs they can provide. You don’t need any experience training service animals, as the nonprofit walks you through the whole process. For more information, click here.

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