Stichtingfivelhondenassistentienl

Stichting Fivel Hond en Assistentie (SFHA) is a Dutch foundation that trains and provides assistance dogs, with a focus on guide dogs for people with visual impairments and psychosocial assistance dogs. Its guide dogs are trained in-house and placed with users throughout the Netherlands. For psychosocial assistance dogs, SFHA offers both in-house training and team training, which helps people train their own dog with guidance. Team training is mainly available in the northern provinces.

The foundation tailors its support to each person-and-dog team, aiming to help users gain greater independence, freedom of movement and participation in daily life. Depending on the user’s needs, a psychosocial assistance dog may help create space around them in public, perform deep pressure therapy or help find an exit. SFHA emphasizes positive training and the wellbeing of both the person and the dog, including time for dogs to rest and enjoy ordinary activities. As training costs are not always covered by insurers or municipalities, the foundation also invites donations and sponsorship to support its work.