The Heart of Fidos Changes Lives!

For almost 40 years, Fidos For Freedom has existed for two simple reasons:

• To improve the quality of life for people with mobility impairments, hearing loss, and Veterans living with PTSD in the Baltimore-Washington area by partnering them with specially trained Assistance Dogs.
• To improve the quality of life for people in healthcare and educational settings through the unconditional affection, comfort, and attention provided by well-trained Therapy Dogs. This includes our Fidos Dogs Educating & Assisting Readers (DEAR) Program, which takes place in local schools and libraries. Through DEAR, children are encouraged to read one-on-one with a Fidos Therapy Dog and trained volunteer, helping build reading skills while creating a positive and supportive environment.

As Fidos continues to grow, so does the need for additional funding. Each Assistance Dog costs approximately $3,000 annually for food, veterinary care, training, and other essential expenses. In addition to these financial resources, each dog requires hundreds of hours of volunteer time to prepare them for their important work and to educate their future client, ensuring that the dog and recipient develop into a confident, cohesive team by graduation.

Our dedicated puppy raisers graciously welcome Fidos puppies into their homes, providing the daily care, socialization, training, and love necessary to help each puppy grow into a future Assistance Dog. Their commitment is an essential part of our success.

Fidos also takes great pride in our Junior Volunteer Program, which has earned an excellent reputation for providing young people with meaningful opportunities to serve their community. Youth volunteers develop responsibility, compassion, and an understanding of disabilities while learning the importance of healthy, respectful relationships with dogs, their handlers, and the people they serve.

With the support of our volunteers, donors, and community partners, Fidos can continue changing lives—one dog, one person, and one community at a time.