Service Animal Care Fund
About Service Animal Care Fund
Service Animal Care Fund provides financial assistance to owners of service animals in Door County who require veterinary care during their service.
The fund is managed by Door County Therapy Dog Teams, Inc.
Definition of a Service Animal
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service dog is a “dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.”
Examples of a service animal:
- Guide dogs for the visually impaired
- Wheelchair assistance dogs
- Seize alert dogs
- Medical detection dogs
- Psychiatric service dogs
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder assistance dogs
- Specialty trained dogs for various duties
NOTE: Dogs whose sole function is providing comfort or emotional support do not quality as service animals under the ADA.
This definition does not affect or limit the broader definition of "assistance animal" under the Fair Housing Act or the broader definition under the Air Carrier Access Act.
Types of Assistance
The Service Animal Care Fund supports:
- Non-basic, non-urgent care (ex: cancer treatments, heart disease, eye disease, endocrine disease, etc.)
- Urgent care (ex: diagnostic testing, broken leg, torn ligament, etc.)
- Emergency care (ex: life-threatening injuries or illness)
- Note: If a service animal experiences a life-threatening emergency, please seek veterinary care immediately to stabilize the animal. Pre-approval is not required before emergency treatment/medical care. Once the animal has the assessment and is stable, contact the Service Animal Care Fund Coordinator for further assistance.
The Service Animal Care Fund does not support:
- Therapy dogs, comfort or emotional support animals.
- Basic animal care, including but not limited to spray/neuter surgeries, food or basic pet supplies, deworming, grooming, flea treatment, vaccinations, or routine veterinary care.
- Any bills already paid. There is no reimbursement for procedures already in process (except for emergencies as described).
- Applicants whose animal is ill due to neglect or preventable care.
- Any treatments that will cause harm to the animal or if long-term prognosis is less than 50% survival.
How to Apply for Assistance
- A Wisconsin-state licensed veterinarian identifies the need for care of an active Door County service dog.
- The Service Animal Owner completes the Service Animal Care Fund Application (see below).
- The Service Animal Care Fund reviews the application.
- If approved, the Service Animal Care Fund will pay the veterinarian directly.
For more information or ask any questions, please contact:
Email: ServiceAnimalCareFund@yahoo.com
Phone: 920-495-2434