Custom Canines creates team of service dogs for crises in Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. — A long standing service dog training facility in Madison is expanding in a big way.

Custom Canines Service Dog Academy has been around for over 15 years. The organization helps to raise, train and place service dogs with veterans and first responders.

Last year, the organization said they deployed their dogs during the Mt. Horeb school shooting and the Abundant Life Christian School shooting. 

Custom Canines president Nicole Meadowcroft said those two incidents sparked the idea to spread the love their dogs have to give. 

“It was after that, we sat down as a team and said we need to do more,” Meadowcroft said. “We have the dogs here. They are trained to do these things. Why not offer this service to our community?”

Thanks to a large donation of $105,000 from Dean Health Plan by Medica, Custom Canines will now have a Crisis Assistance Response and Enhancement (CARE) team.  

Custom Canines has nearly 50 dogs that will be available in times of crisis in the community and beyond.

“We are so proud to be able to support that, provide the funding to make sure that they can multiply those resources,” Death Health Plan market president of Wisconsin, Josh Gustafson said. “More dogs, more handlers in the community to make sure everyone is taken care of, regardless of the situation they are in.”

Dean Health Plan said their goal is to increase access to care and help prevent further tragedy and trauma in the community. They believe this collaboration will allow for that goal to be a reality.

“We hope that by utilizing our trained service dogs in time of criss we will help deescalate long term effects of trauma in our community,” Meadowcroft said. “If that’s one small piece we can offer by using the heroes in training that we have, then we have done a really good thing.”

Bob Washburn is one of the volunteer puppy raisers with Custom Canines. He has been with the organization for about four years.

He will be one of the handlers a part of the CARE team and said its an honor to be a part of something like this.

“It’s neat to be that glimmer of hope during a dark time for people,” Washburn said. “It’s a beautiful thing to be able to help people in their moment of need. To help reduce their anxiety and stress and get them through really tough moments in their life. It’s a really meaningful thing to see what the dogs can do and what we can do for them.”

The group hopes to make a big impact and said they have already been in contact with many people and organizations who are looking to utilize the CARE team.

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