Who is Mira Foundation USA?
Mira Foundation USA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit EIN 26-3603779 organization located in Southern Pines, North Carolina. We are the only organization in the United States whose purpose is to provided guide dogs to visually impaired children ages 11through 17.
Mira USA's Future Facility
We are happy to announce that we are officially in the planning stages to build a new service dog school!
Why is this Necessary?
Mira Foundation USA is the only nonprofit in the United States that provides guide dogs to blind American children free of charge and to do so, we send guide dog candidates to guide dog school at our sister organization, Foundation Mira in Canada. When COVID hit and the borders were closed, Mira’s ability to place dogs was temporarily impacted.
This experience made us realize how important it is for us to have our own facility in the United States. This facility would allow us to serve differently abled children in the US more efficiently.
What Dogs Will We Train?
Guide Dogs
Mobility Assistance Dogs
Mobility Assistance Dogs
First and foremost we will train guide dogs for visually impaired American children. Our training program will be conducted under the guidance of our sister organization, Foundation Mira Canada;
the preeminent school in the world
for guide dogs for children.
Mobility Assistance Dogs
Mobility Assistance Dogs
Mobility Assistance Dogs
We will expand and offer mobility assistance dogs. These dogs help children that have difficulty walking and those confined by wheelchairs get around easier and assist them with everyday tasks.
Autism Assistance Dogs
Mobility Assistance Dogs
Autism Assistance Dogs
The training process for service dogs is extremely rigorous. Dogs that do not qualify as guides or mobility assistants will be trained to support children with autism.
What Will the Site Include?
Dog Housing
The space will include spacious housing for our valued pups. There will be 6 kennels that have access to both inside and outside areas. We will also have a puppy area and bathing areas.
Office
We want to have a welcoming area so people in our community can come visit our wonderful space. We hope to establish a strong volunteer base in the community.
Training
The facility will have an area that is dedicated to training our dogs and students. This will have spacious areas for service dog training as well as equipment for activities.
Dining / Conference Area
Kids and families from all over the country will be flying in to train with our dogs. We want a space where they can relax and unwind after a long day of training.
Storage
We will be storing dog food, training equipment, maintenance and cleaning supplies, as well as animal health records.