Menifee 24/7 Nonprofit of the month: Canine Support Teams

April’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit of the month highlights Canine Support Teams and their efforts to train and place service dogs. Based in Menifee, they are available to serve nationwide.

Their organization provides a broad range of services, programs, placement, and training for both people and canines. Presently, there is a three-year waiting list for service animals so the CST are working to make these high demand pups more readily available.

About Canine Support Teams:

Carol Roquemore founded Canine Support Teams in 1989 with a mission to provide specially trained assistance/ service dogs to people with disabilities to support their personal, social, and occupational independence.

Their ultimate vision is to change the way the world thinks about disabilities, one dog at a time.

Canine Support Teams delivers about thirty service dogs per year to individually matched clients. Each dog is well trained with specific training pertinent for each recipient.


Who are Puppy Raisers?

Puppy Raisers are essentially the lifeblood of Canine Support Teams as they provide the critical first step in training obedient dogs. Generously maintained by volunteer raisers, these compassionate people open their hearts and homes to young puppies for 18 months at a time.

The first year and a half of a puppy’s life is when the most learning, absorbing, and socializing takes place. At their own expense, the raisers ensure their puppy receives all of its shots, medical care and treatment, and proper preliminary training.

After 18 months, the dog is returned to CST where he/she receives advanced training for 6 months. After completion dogs are teamed up with a disabled person from the waiting list of over 20 individuals, and their life together begins.

What programs does CST offer?

Prison Pups is a program designed to benefit both dog and inmate.

Incarcerated individuals at the California Institute for Women in Chine, California can apply for participation in the program, where they will be trained, mentored, and finally trusted with the privilege of training a dog for service to the disabled.

The dog becomes their full responsibility 24 hours a day, during which time they train and care for the dog. The dog helps instill compassion and care, and they have the pride of knowing they have given back to the community.

Southwest Juvenile Hall in French Valley hosts a similar program for troubled youth. Affected youth learn basic discipline dog training after they are accepted into the program.

These dogs are rescued from surrounding shelters and given to the youth to train. After completion the dogs are adopted out to permanent families.


PAWZ for Wounded Veterans is a program to assist wounded veterans who are suffering from physical disabilities and/ or posttraumatic stress disorder after returning from duty.

These dogs are provided to veterans free of charge in order to help those who have served the country to live with dignity and independence.

How can you help?

CST is always in need of volunteers not only to help raise and train puppies, but for other tasks around the office and at the facilities. They also accept puppy donations from reputable breeders to be put through the programs and ultimately to become service dogs.

The Canine Support Teams Prison Pup program will be featured in a special broadcast on PBS in May 2012, check your local listings.

Canine Support Teams
26500 Scott Road
Menifee, CA 92584
(951) 301-3625
Website: Canine Support Teams