New Horizons Service Dogs, Inc.

New Horizons Service Dogs, Inc. is a non-profit organization that partners trained dogs with the disabled. Headquartered in Central Florida, they provide service dogs to clients primarily within the state. Within the last few years, New Horizons opened a campus in West Palm Beach after raising money through fundraisers like the one held in Wellington at the International Polo Club.

Most of New Horizons’ recipients are adult and children in wheelchairs or those in need of other mobility assistance. They also train dogs for veterans with disabilities and children with autism. The dogs can perform daily tasks such as pulling wheelchairs, opening and closing doors, helping with laundry, turning on and off light switches, and retrieving dropped items. Importantly, some of the dogs are trained to prevent autistic children from wandering off. 

In essence, the new Horizons Service Dogs provide the recipient with self-sufficiency, independence, mobility, and self-esteem. They allow their partners to attend school, remain gainfully employed, and have an improved overall quality of life.

According to the most recent information posted on the New Horizons website, the cost of breeding, training, and placing a service dog can range from $25,000-$30,000. To offset the costs, they rely on sponsors like Fromm Pet Foods. From their website:

 Through sponsorships and donations, dogs are provided free to their recipients in exchange for help with fundraising. New Horizons has graduated over 800 recipient/dog teams, including one of our favorite customers, “Buffett” Goldstein.