Stories

70% of the U.S. population has experienced some form of trauma. Service dogs are a successful means to aid those suffering with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 1 in 5 Americans are disabled. That translates to more than 65-million who could benefit from a service dog.

Most know of service dogs that assist military veterans who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress (PTS). U.S. military personnel have many resources from which to acquire service dogs, and they are typically provided to veterans at no financial cost. Domestic sufferers, however, must personally find the means to afford a qualified dog, which when trained to properly serve, can cost upwards of $25,000 - $50,000 per dog. Most needs extend beyond the life of one dog; and, American insurance plans do not cover the cost of a service dog.

At True Blue Dogs, we have worked with domestic victims of PTS for years, as well as individuals in need of assistance due to physical limitations. These early experiences with our clients are the reasons our founder Kirk Halma decided to seek further experience and knowledge about service dogs to better address the challenges presented to his clients. Following a unique training program with This Able Veteran in Carbondale, Illinois, Kirk knew he wanted to redirect his efforts and work fulltime to train service dogs. In November of 2017, he gathered a group of concerned individuals, and together we have created True Blue Dogs.

The specific purpose of our corporation is to perform acquisition, development and training of qualified Service Dogs for public access to assist individuals with disabilities according to the American with Disabilities Act of 1990.