Shelter to Service matches participants with psychiatric service dogs, facility animals, and emotional support animals. This personalized matching service connects each applicant with an animal who will complement their lifestyle and help them achieve their goals. Additionally, Shelter to Service now offers psychiatric service dog training for personal dogs.
Through the power of the human-animal bond, these smart, loving animals help people diagnosed with emotional and mental health conditions find a new leash on life.
Emotional Support Animal Matching
Adopt the perfect dog or cat for your specific needs.
Psychiatric Service Dog Matching
Get paired with a specially trained psychiatric service dog.
Personal Psychiatric Service Dog Training
Turn your canine companion into so much more.
“[Shelter to Service] is by far the most powerful intervention we’ve tried with this Veteran in the six years I’ve been working with him.”
– David, Veterans’ Mental Health Professional
Psychiatric service dog matching and training for personal dogs is available to any eligible applicant with a diagnosed mental health condition, such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and more. Facility dog matching is available to any facilitator applicant working in a professional healthcare or educational setting. Personalized emotional support animal matching is available to any applicant with a letter of recommendation from their licensed mental healthcare provider.
Joybound’s Shelter to Service program was launched in 2011 as a service providing free pet adoptions to U.S. military Veterans. Since then, it has evolved to harness the human-animal bond in so many more ways.
Types of Assistance & Support Animals
From highly trained psychiatric service animals to companion pets, Joybound dogs and cats connect with humans in a wide variety of ways. While any animal can provide much-needed companionship, the unique qualities of our assistance and support animals make each of them a lifeline to those battling mental health challenges, drastically enhancing their independence and emotional stability.
Here is a look at some of the different types of assistance and support you might find, each of whom fits a specific set of criteria and has unique privileges in the community:
Psychiatric Service Dogs
Service dogs, including psychiatric service dogs, are trained in specific tasks to assist a person with a disability.
Emotional Support Animals
Emotional support dogs and cats provide comfort to people with mental health conditions.
Facility Animals
Facility dogs and cats are trained in specific tasks to work alongside professionals and assist their clients.
Assistance Dog Candidates
Candidates work with Joybound’s volunteer foster trainers towards a future as a psychiatric service dog or facility animal.
Therapy Animals
Therapy animals are certified pets who provide comfort to many people — like the dogs and cats of Joybound’s Pet Hug Pack®!
Companion Animals (Pets)
Companion animals bring love and happiness to their families, without any special training or jobs.
Is an Assistance or Support Animal Right for You?
Imagine how an assistant or support animal could impact your life! Learn more about the Shelter to Service program and submit your application to get started!
Questions?
Questions? Read our Shelter to Service eligibility requirements, our Shelter to Service FAQs, or contact the Shelter to Service team at [email protected] for more information.
General Program Eligibility Requirements
Each different type of Shelter to Service service has individual eligibility requirements for applicants. More information is available on their specific program pages. But all applicants must have the following qualifications.
- Applicants must live in a stable, personal residence.
- Applicants must demonstrate willingness and ability to provide proper care and a safe home environment for a dog for their lifespan.
- Applicants must be at least 16 years or older.
- Applicants must submit a copy of their photo ID.
- Applicants must be willing and able to travel by car to our Walnut Creek campus.
General Joybound FAQs
Where is Joybound located?
Joybound’s national headquarters and primary adoption center are located at 2890 Mitchell Drive, in Walnut Creek, California.
The Joybound Thrift Store, Cat Lounge & Adoption Center is located at 1950 Market Street, Suite I, in Concord, California.
What kind of shelter or rescue is Joybound?
Joybound People & Pets (formerly the Animal Rescue Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) registered non-profit organization founded in 1991 to rescue dogs and cats from overcrowded municipal shelters and strengthen the human-animal bond for children, seniors, Veterans, and people in need. Read about our unique dual mission and origin story.
Our team is committed to finding homes for all healthy and treatable dogs and cats in our care. Animals with treatable medical or behavioral conditions are evaluated and cared for prior to rehoming them. Learn more about these classifications by reviewing Maddie’s Fund’s Health & Behavior Categories for Shelter Animals. Potential adopters are provided with all health and behavior history during their time at Joybound.
Can I surrender an animal to Joybound?
We rescue dogs and cats from overcrowded or under-resourced municipal shelters. We do not accept surrenders from the public. If you feel unable to continue caring for your pet, please contact our Resource Center or read about rehoming a pet.
If you adopted from Joybound, our team is here to support you through the difficult decision to return your companion. Please read our adoption return policy.
How is Joybound funded?
We are a non-profit organization funded by private donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. Our complete financial information is available here. Joybound is a registered charity in all 50 states.
Does Joybound offer programs for children?
From birthday parties to animal-themed camps, we have a wide variety of programs to help nurture the next generation of animal-lovers.
Does Joybound offer advice on caring for a pet?
The Pet Care and Behavior Library is filled with helpful information on pet care, solutions for common behavior challenges, training tips, and more.
If you do not see a certain topic covered, please contact the Resource Center for guidance.
Does Joybound offer veterinary services?
Animals in our adoption program are given veterinary care at our state-of-the-art clinic, but we do not provide primary veterinary services to the public.
Limited services are available for low-cost spay and neuter, dental cleaning services, end-of-life services, veterinary assistance programs for low-income pet guardians, and wellness veterinary care for Veterans’ pets. Explore veterinary assistance options.
Will Joybound help fund my organization or project?
We are a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, relying solely upon donations to fund our programs. We are not a granting organization and do not accept solicitations for funding.
Shelter to Service FAQs
Where does Shelter to Service get its animals?
Just like Joybound’s general adoptions program, Shelter to Service admits dogs and cats from public shelters to provide relief and give more animals a second chance at a healthy, fulfilling life.
Where is the Shelter to Service program located?
Joybound’s Shelter to Service program is located at Joybound People & Pets’ national headquarters and adoption center at 2890 Mitchell Dr, Walnut Creek, CA 94598. The 7,893 square foot Engelstad Shelter to Service Center is a safe space for handler-dog teams to gather, learn, train, and socialize with group and simulated home training rooms, program offices, kennels, gathering space, and more.
What services does Shelter to Service offer?
Joybound’s Shelter to Service program provides psychiatric service dog matching, facility animal matching, psychiatric service dog training for personal dogs, personalized emotional support animal matching, and the opportunity to learn how to train these types of animals through vocational volunteer foster training.
When will I hear back from Shelter to Service?
After an application has been submitted, our Shelter to Service team should be in touch within one week.
How do I refer someone to the program?
If you know someone who might benefit from an emotional support animal, facility animal, or psychiatric service dog, our team would love to talk to them and help understand their challenges. Interested parties may reach out to [email protected] for more information.
Can I adopt an emotional support animal?
Any animal adopted from Joybound can qualify as an emotional support animal with a letter of recommendation from the adopter’s licensed mental healthcare provider. However, Shelter to Service offers a personalized ESA matching experience which includes some prior foundational training for emotional support dogs.
Can I train my own dog through Shelter to Service?
The Shelter to Service program now offers psychiatric service dog training for personal dogs and their guardians who meet our program’s eligibility requirements (outlined in the Shelter to Service program application).
How do I donate to Shelter to Service?
Donations of any amount make a lifesaving difference for animals and people. Make a secure online donation and direct your gift to the Shelter to Service program, or to donate by mail, please send a check to Joybound People & Pets, 2890 Mitchell Dr., Walnut Creek, CA, 94598.
There are many other ways to donate, including stock, vehicle donations, planned giving, workplace giving, and more.
Emotional Support Animal FAQs
What is an Emotional Support Animal (ESA)?
An Emotional Support Animal is a companion animal that provides therapeutic benefit to an individual with a diagnosed mental or emotional disability.
Unlike service animals, ESAs are not trained to perform specific tasks. Their support comes from companionship and emotional presence as part of a person’s treatment plan.
What qualifies someone for an ESA?
To legally qualify for an ESA under California and federal law, a person must:
- Have a diagnosed disability that substantially limits one or more major life activities, and
- Receive documentation from a licensed healthcare professional (such as a therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, or physician)
The healthcare provider must determine that the animal is part of the individual’s therapeutic care.
Can anyone have an ESA?
While any pet can provide comfort and emotional benefit, ESA legal protections apply only to individuals with a diagnosed disability and proper documentation.
Without this, an animal is legally considered a pet, not an ESA.
Does Joybound certify or register ESAs?
No, Joybound People & Pets does not:
- Certify animals as ESAs
- Register ESAs
- Provide ESA letters or documentation
Only a licensed healthcare professional can determine whether an individual qualifies for an ESA.
Can Joybound help me get an ESA letter?
Joybound cannot provide ESA letters or medical documentation.
If someone believes they may qualify for an ESA, they should speak directly with a licensed healthcare provider who knows their medical or mental health history. As of January 2026, ESA letters must be provided by a California-certified mental health professional with at least a 30-day relationship with the patient.
What legal benefits does an ESA have?
Under the Fair Housing Act, a verified ESA may qualify for:
- Reasonable housing accommodations
- Living in housing that otherwise restricts pets
- Waived pet deposits or pet rent
Housing providers may request proper documentation before approving an ESA accommodation.
In the state of California, workplaces must allow employees to bring their ESA to work, unless it creates an “undue hardship” for the company.
Can ESAs be taken to the grocery store, movie theater, restaurant, etc.?
No, emotional support animals do not have public access rights and are not allowed in places where pets are normally prohibited, including:
- Restaurants
- Grocery stores
- Retail shops
- Schools
- Public transportation
Only trained service animals have these protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Are ESAs allowed on airplanes?
As of 2021, airlines are no longer required to recognize ESAs as service animals.
Most airlines now classify ESAs as pets and require standard pet travel fees and policies.
What is the difference between an ESA and a service animal?
| Service Animals | Emotional Support Animals |
|---|---|
| Trained to perform specific tasks | Provide emotional comfort without training |
| Protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) | Not protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) |
| Allowed in public places | No public access rights |
| Must be a dog (or miniature horse in limited cases) | Can be many species |
| Requires disability-related task | Requires therapeutic documentation |
Can an adopted Joybound animal become an ESA?
Potentially — but not automatically. Joybound adopts pets as companions, not as designated service or emotional support animals.
If an adopter later qualifies for an ESA through a licensed healthcare provider, their adopted pet may become part of that therapeutic plan, depending on the provider’s recommendation.
What about animals like Pearl featured in Joybound programs?
Animals highlighted through Joybound programs may demonstrate traits that make them wonderful companions — including calm temperaments, affection, or strong human connection.
However, featuring an animal does not mean the animal is certified, registered, or guaranteed to qualify as an ESA. ESA eligibility depends on the adopter’s healthcare provider — not the animal alone.
Why is there so much conflicting information online?
Unfortunately, many websites advertise ESA “registrations” or “certifications” that are not legally recognized under California or federal law. There is no official ESA registry. Only documentation from a licensed healthcare professional is valid.
Joybound People & Pets is committed to:
- Educating adopters with accurate, compassionate information
- Supporting the human-animal bond responsibly
- Protecting adopters, housing providers, and animals through clear communication
If you have questions about adoption, training resources, or how animals support emotional wellbeing, our team is always happy to help.
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We feed our animals high-quality Purina pet food.
You can find all our adorable, adoptable animals on Petfinder.
We’re a proud recipient of funding from the Engelstad Foundation.
We’re honored to elevate animal wellness alongside the ASPCA.
VCA’s expert care heals pets and Joybound shelter animals alike.