Exceptional Sidekick was founded in the wake of unimaginable tragedy. After the Sandy Hook School massacre, local dog trainer and community member Abby Hill, CPDT, was not only supporting others, she was grieving too, trying to raise her own children in a community shaken to its core. Amid the chaos and heartbreak, families began turning to Abby, asking her to train their family pets to become service dogs. But while the love was there, most of the dogs simply weren’t suited for the demanding work of a psychiatric service dog.
Recognizing the urgent need, Abby reached out to Assistance Dogs International. Their response was clear: “Start your own program. We will help.” And so, The Exceptional Sidekick was born, a psychiatric service dog organization dedicated to teens and young adults struggling to complete their education and find stability in the aftermath of trauma.
What began as a local response to one tragedy has grown into a mission of national significance. As we approach our 10-year anniversary, we’ve placed 10 highly trained psychiatric service dogs, free of charge, with youth directly impacted by the Sandy Hook tragedy. Since then, we’ve expanded to place service dogs with 18 more young people whose mental health has been shaped by trauma, school-based anxiety, systemic marginalization, and identity-related challenges.
Our mission is to provide life-changing psychiatric service dogs to those who need them most. But we know the healing doesn’t stop with the recipients. When young people are invited into the training and raising process, the impact multiplies, giving far more youth access to care, purpose, and the transformative bond with these incredible animals.
Our clients are living with disabilities that have made traditional paths to healing and education feel impossible. Despite their strength, they often carry invisible wounds that isolate them from peers and opportunities.
We are creating a therapeutic school, dubbed the “Learning Hub”, because healing takes more than therapy; it takes community, purpose, and a sense of belonging. Our service dogs already provide life-changing support to a small number of youth, but the need far exceeds our current capacity. By building a space where students can actively participate in the raising and training of these dogs, we can multiply our impact. Instead of helping just a few kids with finished service dogs, we will empower dozens, even hundreds, through hands-on, healing work with the dogs from the very beginning.
This new space will serve as a safe, inclusive environment where youth can return to learning at their own pace, gain job skills, connect with peers, and participate in animal-assisted therapeutic programming. It will be a place where all kids are seen not just for their struggles, but for their potential.
The impact will be transformational. Our clients will build confidence, re-engage with education, and develop the tools they need to move forward. Through the healing presence of these dogs and a community built on empathy, skill-building, and shared purpose, the Learning Hub will give our youth what trauma has tried to take away: safety, connection, and hope, while training more service dogs to change even more lives.
The Exceptional Sidekick is no longer just a service dog organization. It’s a place where healing begins, where youth find purpose, and where every dog brings the promise of a better tomorrow.
