Summit Assistance Dogs

OUR MISSION Summit Assistance Dogs is a nonprofit organization that creates life-changing partnerships by providing highly-skilled mobility service dogs for people living with disabilities in the Pacific Northwest. By assisting with tasks such as retrieving items, opening and closing doors, and turning switches on and off, our dogs help their partners live with greater independence and confidence. These companions can also help diminish depression, anxiety, and loneliness. OUR VISION We believe all people and animals deserve to reach their highest potential, and that frequently this is best achieved in partnership with one another. We envision a day when every qualified applicant will be able to receive a life-changing service dog from us within one year of applying to our organization. OUR HISTORY Summit Assistance Dogs was founded in 2000 by Sue Meinzinger, a graduate of the Assistance Dog Institute in Santa Rosa, CA, to help meet the overwhelming demand for skilled service dogs. Sue started the program out of her home, later moving to facilities in Anacortes, WA. Achieving a life-long dream, Summit acquired a piece of land on north Whidbey Island in 2014 and will be building our service dog training campus on the property. Summit Assistance Dogs has become one of the leading providers of assistance dogs in Washington State, and the need for our services continues to grow as more and more people recognize the benefits of these life-changing partnerships.

Summit Assistance Dogs provides highly-skilled mobility assistance dogs for individuals living with disabilities. Programs and activities that Summit utilizes to train these highly-skilled dogs are a large volunteer base of puppy raisers/fosters; prison partnership with Monroe Correctional Complex; outreach and fundraising activities that bring awareness to the need and our program; and members of ADI (Assistance Dogs International).