Canine Partners For Life (CPL) is a nonprofit organization located in Cochranville, Pennsylvania. CPL trains and places dogs to assist individuals with a wide range of physical and cognitive disabilities. CPL trains full-service dogs to provide physical assistance to their partner 24 hours a day, both at home and in public environments (for example, individuals with disabilities caused by ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, arthritis, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, paralysis, amputation, and more). CPL also places full-service seizure-alert dogs to detect and alert to upcoming seizure activity. Finally, CPL places home-companion dogs with special-needs children or the elderly to work in the home environment. Each dog receives training adapted to meet the specific needs of its human partner. Skills may include how to retrieve items; operate light switches, elevator buttons, door openers; tug a laundry basket and put laundry in/out of the machine; roll someone over in bed to prevent sores; pay cashiers; open and close doors; assist with dressing and undressing; help an unsteady walker negotiate bumpy terrain or stairs; and a wide variety of other tasks. Just as important, the dogs provide a constant source of love and comfort. Please visit www.k94life.org or phone (610) 869-4902.
