Canine Partners for Life

Canine Partners For Life was founded in 1989 by Darlene Sullivan, a former special education instructor and animal trainer. The organization flourished and grew within her home until 1997 at which time the organization was in a position to purchase a 45 acre property. This property developed into the current campus which consists of an office building, canine housing unit, training center, and housing for our emergency weather staff member. From the originating service dog program developed the home companion dog and residential companion dog programs. These programs helped CPL meet the increasingly diverse needs of its applicants and also helped to best utilize the wide range of skills and talents in the organization's dogs. The prison puppy raising program (PPRP) developed when the organization's growth exceeded the number of available community puppy home volunteers. This highly successful program trains inmates in six area correctional facilities to raise and train the puppies for their first year of life. Source: www.k94life.org

For 35 years, Canine Partners for Life (CPL) has been dedicated to training service dogs, home companion dogs, residential companion dogs, and courthouse companion dogs to assist individuals who have a wide range of physical, developmental, and cognitive disabilities. 

Many of CPL’s graduates live with disabilities that cause mobility challenges and balance disorders. They may have difficulty using their hands and arms or have health-related fatigue issues. They also face challenges that stem from seizures, cardiac syncope conditions, and diabetes. When these individuals are matched with a CPL service or companion dog, their lives are enriched. These partnerships have given individuals the ability to get dressed without needing assistance, to grocery shop on their own, sleep by themselves throughout the night, and even attend college and start a career! Since 1989, CPL has placed more than 800 service  and companion dogs nationwide and currently provides support to more than 150 active partnerships and 60-80 dogs in training. 

CPL is accredited by Assistance Dogs International and continually meets the highest standards in the industry. To learn more about Canine Partners for Life, please visit k94life.org. 

Who We Are

Since 1989, Canine Partners for Life (CPL) has been partnering service and companion dogs with people who have various physical, developmental, and cognitive disabilities to provide them the opportunity to live a more independent life. CPL has placed
more than 750 service and companion dogs nationwide and provides support to over 200 active teams and 50–70 service dogs in training.

CPL takes each dog through a two-year, comprehensive, and customized training program to meet the specific needs of its human partner. Puppies spend their first year in a volunteer puppy home or in our Prison Puppy Raising Program. At 14 months, puppies move into CPL’s kennel where they will work with a CPL trainer to learn the particular skills needed to assist a person with a disability.

CPL is committed to partnering individuals with dogs who will match their lifestyle, personality, and specific needs as well as serving our teams long after graduation, throughout the life of the partnership and the dog.