The tail of ican
Get to know us: Our mission changes lives on both ends of the leash. Our service dogs provide independence and confidence for children and adults living with disabilities.
We are so proud to share our story with you:
The Early Years
Indiana Canine Assistance Network (ICAN) began in December 2001 to service Indiana residents who live with a disability. Our founder, Dr. Sally Irvin, knew that service dogs are catalysts for positive change — one dog can impact so many different people, and they remind us daily what unconditional love is all about.
The Early Years
We started our service dog training program at The Pendleton Juvenile Correctional Facility, where incarcerated teens interacted with the puppies. Back then, ICAN actually had two A’s; we were the Indiana Canine Assistant and Adolescent Network (ICAAN). We originally focused on teenagers: at-risk youth, incarcerated adolescents, and those with disabilities.
The Early Years
Although teens could effectively teach young dogs, we realized their bigger need was to experience the unconditional love and healing a puppy could give. So, we became ICAN with one “A” and now work with adults who are incarcerated. These individuals lead the training for our service dog.
The Early Years
On Valentine’s Day in 2002, we delivered three puppies to the Rockville Correctional Facility. Eager inmate handlers awaited their new pupils: Casey and Bud, both Golden Retrievers, and Nora, a petite Labrador. With a modest annual budget, a core group of 12 dedicated volunteers began to build our foundation! By the following year, ICAN expanded into two more correctional facilities, and we tripled our budget and number of dogs.
PRESENT DAY
Fast forward more than 20 years later, we’ve been able to place more than 250 service dogs with clients, and more than 300 incarcerated handlers have trained our dogs.
Currently, we have more than 60 handlers and dogs-in-training at three correctional facilities, a small but mighty team of 11 employees, and more than 250 volunteers.
PRESENT DAY
We’re also honored to be the only service dog program based in Indiana that is accredited by Assistance Dogs International (ADI). We renew our accreditation every five years, which lets us continue impacting hundreds of lives every single day.