Frequently Asked Questions About PFI

Individuals applying must be 16 years or older.

*Exceptions may be made for individuals under 16 years of age. Additional info will be requested.

We prefer our pups to be placed within Illinois, however, all individuals residing within the U.S.A except the states of Hawaii and Alaska are eligible for a PFI pup.

Additionally, all applicants must be legal, permanent U.S citizens and dogs can not be placed outside of the U.S.

The application is separated into multiple parts. 

The pre-application is the first step and must be completed and submitted by the applicant. Within a calendar month, PFI will review the application and if accepted, the full application will be sent.

The acceptance of an applicant's pre-application or full application does not guarantee approval. 

Once all parts of the final application are filled and submitted, the final stage of the application process is a zoom meeting between the applicant, their primary healthcare provider or specialist doctor (M.D).

When applying for a PFI pup, there is a $25 non-refundable fee for the full application. The pre-application is free of charge.

The cost of a PFI service dog is $26,000*.

This includes:

-The initial costs of the dog

-Care expenses (food, vet expenses, insurance, etc)

-Gear (vests, collars, leashes, etc)

-Task and public access training

-Costs associated with the training (travel, scent containers, buttons, etc)

-2 weeks of team training in Illinois (must be done at PFI home base in Illinois, 2 weeks is the minimum training time. More time may be needed)

-Support through the fundraising process (if necessary)

-Follow up support after placement

-Annual and bi-annual training and re-certification

*If you are out of state, there may be added travel fees for any necessary traveling.

Though you will not be excluded from the applicant process, there will be added and thorough examinations in order to assure the safety and wellbeing of a PFI pup if they were to be placed in a home with pets.

The working life of a service dog varies, however 6 years after placement is to be expected.

Pawrtners For Independence is run and owned by Megan Carothers, who is a service dog handler herself.

She has experienced first hand what a service dog can do for a person and what it takes to create a successful, happy, service dog.

For PFI teams to graduate successfully, they must meet a high and long list of expectations. PFI understands that anything but the best may instead hinder the quality of life of an individual, rather than improve it. This is why PFI strives for the healthiest, happiest, and most well trained pups possible.