Many families with young children typically have no place else to turn as many organizations either have waiting lists or age specific requirements. Karen Shirk, the Executive Director of 4 Paws for Ability, knows this from her personal experience. In the late 1990’s, Karen was searching for a service dog but was turned down by multiple agencies during a very trying time in her life.

This experience inspired Karen to start 4 Paws for Ability, and to keep as a founding principle the willingness to provide service dogs for any individual regardless of age or disability.

The mission of 4 Paws for Ability is to:
- Enrich the lives of people with disabilities by the training and placement of service dogs to provide individuals with companionship and promote independent living
- Educate the public to accept the use of service dogs in public places
- Assist with animal rescue whenever possible by obtaining many of our animals from shelters and rescue groups

4 Paws for Ability not only serves the needs of people with disabilities, but they also work to reduce the number of unwanted animals who would otherwise be destroyed by obtaining the majority of our animals from shelters and rescue groups.

LEARN MORE ABOUT 4 Paws for Ability