Caring for Our Communities

Canine Partners of the Rockies raises, trains and places mobility support dogs and facility dogs in Colorado, But our programs go beyond providing these dogs to individuals and organizations. We’re also deeply committed to supporting Colorado communities through outreach, therapeutic visits and education programs throughout the 2 years our dogs are in training.

service dog community outreach
service dog community outreach

We involve our dogs in therapy-type services at local schools, hospitals, counseling centers and within Veteran’s programs. These visits provide purposeful animal interaction and connection to individuals and groups who need it, and provide important socialization, exposure and training for our future service pups. It also helps us determine which dogs will be right for which placements.

​We provide these services to at no charge.

Dale Coski

Honoring Dale Coski’s Legacy of Service Through the ​Dale Outreach Group (D.O.G.) Program

Canine Partners of the Rockies is proud to announce the new name for our community programming: the Dale Outreach Group (D.O.G.) Program, named in honor of our longtime supporter and disability rights advocate, Dale Coski.​

Dale passed away in September 2024, but her extraordinary life and legacy of public service continue to inspire us and will now live on through a program that reflects her values of compassion, perseverance, and purpose.
From an early age, Dale demonstrated compassion and dedication to helping others. As a child, she chose to spend her recess volunteering with classmates in her school’s Special Education program; handmaking Valentines and building friendships that left lasting impressions.

Dale served as a Cold War Army Intelligence Officer, a role that demanded strength, discretion, and resilience. She later followed her calling to become both a nun and a schoolteacher, further deepening her lifelong commitment to serving others. Eventually, she became a police officer, where she continued to protect and support her community.
While serving as a police officer, Dale’s life took a dramatic turn. After stopping to help a stranded motorist, she was struck by a car. This tragic incident resulted in a traumatic brain injury, leg amputation, and quadriplegia. Despite her injuries, Dale’s next chapter became one of profound impact.

Dale became a fierce and effective advocate for people with disabilities, working with The Denver Agency for Human Rights and Community Partnerships. She helped launch Colorado’s accessible parking placard program, which is still used as a national model, and testified before the state legislature to champion access rights for service dogs and their partners.

Dale made history as the first Coloradan to receive a service dog, appropriately named Perseverance (Persey). Throughout her life, she partnered with 5 service dogs, including Kokomo, a Canine Partners of the Rockies pup. Each dog empowered her to live with greater independence, purpose, and connection.

Dale often described her work as “planting seeds so other things can grow.” That philosophy has become the inspiration for our newest program.

The D.O.G. Program is designed to honor Dale’s legacy by using our dogs-in-training to provide compassion, and therapeutic engagement to Coloradans of all ages; especially children, veterans, individuals living with disabilities, and hospitalized patients and families.

Our dogs now regularly visit hospitals, rehabilitation centers, schools, veteran support programs, and community events. Whether it’s a child facing a frightening procedure, a veteran coping with trauma, or a grieving family attending a vigil, these dogs bring calm, connection, and comfort during life’s toughest moments.

In the past year alone, our dogs-in-training have touched thousands of lives across the Denver-metro area. These interactions are provided free of charge because we believe in their power to heal, comfort, and connect.

Each visit gives our dogs critical real-world experience and helps us assess their suitability for future placement as service or facility dogs.

With dogs at various stages of training, we personalize visits to suit different needs; from playful dogs for kids’ groups to advanced dogs offering calm, task-trained support for veterans.

These programs give people firsthand exposure to the life-changing impact of service and facility dogs, often planting the seed for future partnerships or careers in canine-assisted work.

Our experienced team works directly with staff and therapists at each visit location to ensure each interaction is purposeful, safe, and supportive of care goals.

Naming this program after Dale is not just a tribute. It’s a promise. A promise to keep Dale’s memory alive by planting seeds of hope and compassion in our community, advocating for those who need support, and honoring the vital role dogs play in the healing journey.

Kids Programs with Canine Partners of the Rockies
Kids Programs with Canine Partners of the Rockies

Kids Programs

In early 2025, we started a program with a local Title 1 school to help children develop a love of reading. Future service dogs visit and create a judgment-free environment, helping kids overcome reading anxiety and improve their reading skills.

We also partner with local elementary schools for presentations and educational outreach – teaching them about service dogs, appropriate interactions with service dogs and allowing them to interact with our pups in training.

  • Mission Viejo Elementary: Reading Fur Fun — Students read to future service dogs in a judgment-free environment.
  • Denver Jewish Day School: Helping Hands — Kids research service dogs and raise money for Canine Partners.
Veterans Programs with Canine Partners of the Rockies

Veterans Programs

Our staff and service dogs in training provide opportunities for therapeutic connections for Veterans at:

  • The Marcus Institute for Brain Health — Therapeutic dog interaction for Veterans living with Traumatic Brain Injuries
  • Local VET Centers — Therapeutic visits during yoga, art and equine therapy groups for veterans
  • Medicine Horse — Therapeutic visits for staff and groups, providing care and connection for veterans
Hospital Programs with Canine Partners of the Rockies
Hospital Programs with Canine Partners of the Rockies

Programs Supporting Hospitalized Patients

Our staff and future service dogs provide therapeutic activities for hospitalized patients and their families at:​

  • Craig Hospital — Presentations and dog interactions for patients and staff
  • PAM Hospital — Therapy visits for hospitalized patients and staff
  • Ronald McDonald House — Therapy visits for hospitalized kids and their families