Step Process

Bringing a facility dog into your school or workplace can be rewarding! Interactions with trained canines can change the course of student’s life. Dogs bring unspoken acceptance and understanding, patience and trust when humans just aren’t enough. Handling the dog that brings so much peace and happiness is a very special reward. To apply for a Bella’s Buddies dog, a school or organization must first:

  1. Notify Bella’s Buddies via the form submission that you would like to learn more about having a facility dog. We will add you to our INTERESTED LIST.

  2. Seek written permission from your principal to move forward, or from your organization’s board of directors or lead/district team to bring Animal Assisted Interventions into the building using a facility dog that has been trained by Bella’s Buddies Inc. This may involve presenting your idea to campus or district leaders for approval.

  3. Seek counsel from your school/organization’s attorney regarding any legal questions. Bella’s Buddies provides liability insurance for the dogs that are placed by our organization only. Your attorney must consider how to cover facility/therapy dogs that do not come from Bella’s Buddies Inc.

  4. Put together a small K9U group or committee at the campus, district or facility level that includes people from the following groups: employees, community members, dog trainers, veterinarians and mental health professionals.. Your committee should draft guidelines that address topics such as service dogs, employees bringing personal emotional support animals to work with them, volunteer organizations that bring certified therapy dogs to help your community and any facility dogs you may welcome from Bella’s Buddies Inc. The guidelines should be approved by leadership and added to the appropriate organizational documents so that they are available to the public.

  5. Seek out five or more sponsors from your community who are willing to help financially support your mission to bring a trained Bella’s Buddies dog to your facility. Information for donors can be found at the GIVE link above. Bella’s Buddies aims to raise $20,000 per dog that is placed. The school district may budget for this, however parent and community organizations, and businesses are usually excited to be part of the endeavor to address mental health and wellness on school campuses or in health facilities.

  6. Choose a primary and secondary handler who have fenced yards and no more than two inside family pets that get along well with other dogs. The home environment should be stable emotionally and financially in case of an emergency. Try to choose handlers who plan to stay at the facility for a while.

  7. Complete the Bella’s Buddies Application For Educational Institutions on behalf of your organization. Include the information requested (letter from superintendent noting board and administration approval, new guidelines related to helper dogs and a list of sponsors). Your organization cannot be added to the waitlist until the application is completed and all of the documents is submitted.

  8. The primary handler should complete the Bella’s Buddies Primary Handler Application. Please include requested photos.

  9. Bella’s Buddies is available to answer any questions you have about training and placement. A placement coordinator will contact your organization when the above requirements are fulfilled and submitted.