Training Opportunities & Certification Contacts

The folks at BCSO Paws & Stripes College are doing an amazing job identifying and preparing rescue dogs, overseeing their training and paring them up with First Responder agencies from not only Florida but across our nation. Two times a year (in April & October), 40-hour training classes are offered free of charge, wherein agencies can send one of their members to be paired with a therapy dog and be given the basics so that they can go back and serve their community. As space permits, it is possible for an agency to send a member that already has a dog to Paws & Stripes to receive the 40-hour training, as long as that dog meets the minimal AKC CGC standards.  

The only cost is $100.00 for the actual certification, and it is good for 3 years. 

 For more information, email: pawsandstripescollege@bcso.us

This agency offers free One-Day Quarterly Training opportunities for Therapy Dog Handlers. Highlands County is located in central Florida, about 90 south of Orlando.  Visiting teams must be certified and affiliated with a First Responder agency in order to attend some of the community outings where teams may be going into schools, public libraries, hospitals and government buildings.   

A Three-Day Advanced Handlers course is offered twice a year. Therapy Dog Teams must be certified, agency affiliated and handlers need to have at least 6 months experience working with their therapy dog before attending the advanced class.  

For more information, please contact Liz Fischer at efischer@highlandssheriff.org

Agency Website:  Highlands County Sheriff’s Office, FL