Our Why

JLAD (The Joys of Living Assistance Dogs) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to raising and training assistance dogs and placing them in positions of service.

Our mission is providing skilled, devoted companions to support and assist veterans, first responders, and others with disabilities, creating cohesive teams focused on building a life of greater freedom and independence.

Our service dogs are bred specifically for temperament and are trained by inmates in three of Oregon’s Correctional institutions. We train our dogs at a variety of locations throughout the Willamette Valley by way of our volunteer puppy socializers.

We are proud that our dogs do "triple duty,"

• Giving inmates a purpose and a means to "give back to the community" through the endless dedicated training they provide for JLAD.

• Our socializers benefit from working our dogs when they come out of prison on a two-week rotation. Socializers enjoy taking our trained dogs and incorporating them into their daily lives.

• Our dogs are placed with recipients where they will change lives by providing the perfect combination of companionship, obedience, usefulness and affection. Persons with disabilities rely on these special animals to perform a multitude of tasks and provide practical aid. When an ideal match is made, the mobility and freedom the dogs' efforts afford, help provide a new and profound sense of independence to the owner, creating a pathway toward a safer and more empowering way of living.