Request a Speaker FAQ
-
Patriot Service Dogs is a small, donation-funded nonprofit. When our team attends a speaking event, that time comes directly from the daily work of training service dogs, supporting veterans, and maintaining program operations. A suggested donation of at least $500 helps offset the real cost of staff time, travel, and the temporary pause in mission-critical work. This request is not a speaking “fee,” but a way to ensure that outreach does not reduce the number or quality of service dogs we are able to prepare for veterans. Community support through speaking engagements allows us to share our mission while protecting the integrity and sustainability of our program.
-
We have a very small staff and no dedicated outreach position. Our primary responsibility is the care, training, and placement of service dogs. To protect the quality of our program, we limit speaking engagements to events within approximately 45 minutes of Ocala and schedule them carefully around training needs.
-
No. A service dog may be able to attend some events, depending on training schedules, health, and readiness, but this cannot be guaranteed. Patriot Service Dogs very rarely asks veterans to participate in speaking engagements. We believe strongly that veterans should never feel obligated to share their personal experiences as part of marketing or fundraising. Our service dogs are provided at no cost because veterans have already given more than their share in service to our country. Many veterans we serve also live with PTSD or other challenges that can make public speaking or discussing their need for a service dog difficult or distressing.
-
A member of the Patriot Service Dogs team will respond by email as soon as possible after reviewing your submission. Because our small staff manages speaking requests alongside daily training and program responsibilities, response times may vary. Providing as much detail as possible in the request form — including event purpose, audience, timing, and location — helps us review your request more efficiently and respond more quickly.
Request a Speaker
All speaking requests must be submitted through the form below. If you call to make a request, we will direct you to complete the online form.
Thank you for your interest in Patriot Service Dogs!
We are honored to speak with groups who want to better understand the impact of service dogs, the needs of veterans, and the mission that connects them. Our presentations share the real work behind preparing service dogs for public life, the importance of thoughtful veteran–dog matching, and the powerful role of our WOOF Prison Program, where incarcerated women help train future service dogs.
We welcome invitations from civic groups, schools, churches, businesses, and community organizations interested in learning more about our work and do our best to attend as many events as possible.
Speaking Request Guidelines
Patriot Service Dogs is a small organization without a dedicated outreach staff member. Our team balances speaking requests alongside the daily responsibilities of training dogs and supporting veterans, so we are not always able to attend events.
To help us consider your request, please note:
Requests must be submitted as far in advance as possible
We cannot guarantee the attendance of a service dog or veteran
Events must be located within approximately 45 minutes of Ocala, Florida
A suggested donation of at least $500 is expected to support our mission
We appreciate your understanding and your interest in helping us share this work with the community!