My name is Tara Bastien, and I am raising funds in support of Little Angels Service Dogs, an organization dedicated to training and placing Psychiatric Service Dogs for civilians living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

For many civilians in Massachusetts and across New England, access to a Psychiatric Service Dog is extremely limited. Nationally recognized organizations that train and place service dogs for civilians with PTSD are few, and many are restricted by geography or eligibility requirements. As a result, civilians in this region often face long waitlists, extensive travel, or the inability to access services altogether.

After extensive research, it became clear that very few organizations serve Massachusetts, and even fewer provide accessible training and long-term support in New England. Little Angels Service Dogs stands out because they do serve Massachusetts and maintain a training location in New Hampshire, allowing for consistent, hands-on training and meaningful follow-up support throughout the process.

During my career as a teacher with over 20 years of experience in different school systems, I have worked with children who display symptoms of PTSD as a result of traumatic events in their lives. I have seen firsthand how trauma can affect emotional regulation, learning, behavior, and a child’s sense of safety. These experiences have deepened my understanding of how critical early, consistent, and compassionate support is for individuals living with trauma—at any age.

At a time when our country continues to experience school shootings, public violence, and other traumatic events, the need for civilian Psychiatric Service Dogs has never been greater. For individuals living with PTSD, a service dog can be life-changing—helping to reduce anxiety, interrupt panic responses, provide grounding during distressing moments, and restore a sense of safety and independence in daily life.

Little Angels Service Dogs is widely respected for its individualized and compassionate approach. Each dog is carefully matched with a handler to ensure the best possible fit. The organization provides regular monthly check-ins, ongoing guidance, and long-term support. If challenges arise, they work closely with the handler to address concerns and ensure a successful partnership.

Impact of your support
Donations help cover the significant costs involved in training and placing civilians with Psychiatric Service Dogs, including professional training, handler education, and continued follow-up support. Every contribution directly supports the success and long-term stability of both the dogs and the individuals they serve.

If you are able to give, please consider donating or sharing this fundraiser with others. Every contribution, no matter the amount, brings life-changing support closer and helps make trained Psychiatric Service Dogs more accessible to civilians who urgently need them.

To donate, please use the fundraising link listed on this page. If you are unable to donate at this time, sharing this fundraiser is another meaningful way to support this cause.

With sincere gratitude,
Tara Bastien

Little Angels Service Dogs is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with an Assistance Dogs International (ADI) accreditation. We provide highly trained assistance dogs to help children and adults living with disabilities to live more independent lives. Our mission is to maximize the innate ability of dogs to give the gift of independence to individuals regardless of disability or age.

Our primary purpose is to change the lives of people living with disabilities by helping them live a more independent life. Approximately 13% of Americans are living with disabilities, and less than 1% of that community use service dogs due to a mix of availability, costs, and barriers for service animals that still exist today. Our goal is to overcome those barriers for people living with disabilities to appropriately match service dogs with their recipients.

We train our service dogs to perform specific tasks and behaviors that mitigate the effects of a person's disability, enabling them to lead more autonomous and fulfilling lives. Results of various studies on the impact service dogs have on their owners living with disabilities have indicated that service dog ownership may include benefits like greater social and emotional health, independence, and overall quality of life.

Our service dogs include psychiatric (civilian and military), seizure alert, diabetic alert, hearing assistance, mobility assistance, and autism assistance. We firmly believe that all disabilities should be regarded with equal importance, irrespective of their visibility. Our team acknowledges our responsibility not only to our service dogs but also to the individuals we serve.

Supporting Civilian Psychiatric Service Dogs Through Little Angels Service Dogs

Fundraising for Little Angels Service Dogs by Tara Bastien