Mutts With A Mission is proud to be an accredited member of Assistance Dogs International.

We are currently 1 of 78 accredited programs in the United States, and 1 of only 3 accredited programs in Virginia.
Our accreditation status means the Veterans we serve will have their approved service dog’s medical care covered by the Department of Veteran’s affairs. The VA only recognizes ADI service dogs for this VA Veterinary Health Benefits program.
Our accreditation status means that all of our service dog teams have international travel access. Many countries and airlines will only allow service dogs from an ADI accredited program because they know they have received the highest level of training.
Our accreditation status means we have met very high standards in how we train our dogs, how we run our program, and how we serve the disabled veterans and first responders who receive our dogs. All of our dogs are trained to perform tasks that mitigate a documented disability.
We are now part of the ABC Breeding Co-operative program. With this program, we have access to high-quality puppies for Mutts With A Mission.
Mutts With A Mission is now able to participate in shaping the future of the Service Dog industry.

What is Assistance Dogs International Accreditation?

Assistance Dogs International (ADI) is “a world-wide coalition of not-for-profit programs that train and place Assistance Dogs.” ADI was formed in 1986, and is now the leading organization in the world of service dog organizations. ADI is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards for non-profit service dog programs.

Accreditation is awarded to non-profit service dog organizations that have met very high standards for all areas of their program. The process of becoming accredited takes a minimum of 2 years, and accredited programs are re-evaluated every 5 years in order to maintain their status. Mutts With A Mission achieved full accreditation status in 2019.

For full information on what ADI accreditation entails, check out this page from the ADI website.

Why is ADI accreditation so important?

All ADI Accredited programs are non-profit programs and have been thoroughly evaluated to ensure they meet the highest standards of training for the dog, health of the dog, and ethical treatment of both dogs and clients. By working with an ADI accredited program, you can be sure that you are getting a healthy, professionally trained service dog that can perform tasks that mitigate your disability.

Visit the Assistance Dog International website to learn more or to find an accredited program near you!