ACTS - Assistance Canine Training Services

Help Us Grow and Change Even More Lives than Ever Before!

We need your support as we take an exciting next step: expanding our training center to better serve the dogs—and people—who count on ACTS.

We’re raising funds to build a new kennel room, along with a whelping area, storage, and office space at the back of our current facility. This much-needed addition will allow us to care for more dogs on-site, improve our training operations, and give our staff and volunteer puppy raisers the space and tools they need to thrive.

Changing Lives, One Paw at a Time

At ACTS – Assistance Canine Training Services, we believe in the incredible power of dogs to transform lives. As a small but mighty 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we specialize in training service dogs for individuals with mobility challenges and facility dogs for professionals in animal-assisted therapy roles. From comforting children in schools to helping individuals regain independence, our dogs make a world of difference every single day.

We’re proud to be accredited by Assistance Dogs International and members of Animal Assisted Intervention International, which means we uphold the highest standards of excellence in everything we do—from our training programs to our client support.

A Mission Born from Love

ACTS was founded in 2007 by Dorothy Hyde-Williams, in memory of her son, Nate, whose life was tragically cut short in a bicycle accident. What started as a mother’s grief has blossomed into a legacy of compassion, healing, and purpose. Nate’s spirit lives on in every dog we train and every life we touch.

Rooted in Community, Powered by Passion

From our base in Center Conway, NH, and our training center at the University of Vermont, we provide hands-on, personalized training that sets us apart. Our passionate team of experts and volunteers pour their hearts into preparing our dogs for their important roles, and it shows in the lives our dogs change every day.

Our local volunteer puppy raisers are the heart of our program. They open their homes—and their hearts—to our puppies from just eight weeks old, dedicating nearly two years to preparing each one for a life of service. You might even spot them in your community, socializing their pups and teaching them essential skills.

The Impact: From One to Many

ACTS service dogs bring life-changing support to individuals across New England and beyond. Our facility dogs are placed in schools, counseling centers, hospitals, daycares, and group homes—places where their calming presence and loving nature can help countless people every day.

While one service dog changes one life in a profound way, a facility dog touches hundreds of lives. And it’s your support that makes this possible.

We Can’t Do This Without You

It takes over two years—and a lot of love, training, and care—to prepare each dog for its role. We rely on the generosity of donors, sponsors, grants, and client fees to make this happen. Every dollar you give helps us keep our programs accessible and our dogs ready to serve.

Your support means everything. It means more puppies trained, more lives touched, and more stories of hope.

Who We Are

Our Mission at Assistance Canine Training Services (ACTS) is to raise and train service dogs for people with mobility disabilities and facility dogs for professionals working with populations that could benefit from animal assisted therapy.

Service dogs work for one individual providing the ability to manage one or several tasks to assist their human partners. Our facility dogs work with individuals who work with populations of people that may benefit from animal assisted therapy. Our facility dogs to date, have been partnered with teachers, occupational therapists, courthouse workers, psychotherapists, and professionals working with veterans. It is worth noting that, while our service dogs profoundly affect the life of one person, our facility dogs touch the lives of many.

ACTS is certified with Assistance Dogs International. This international organization provides guidelines for service dog training organizations and a stringent certification process. As an ADI Accredited Member program, we are regularly assessed to ensure we meet the highest standards in the industry.