Dogs make our lives better. But for some, dogs can actually save lives.
Part of the pioneering research that proved dogs could detect glucose level drops in diabetic patients by scent, Indiana-born animal behaviorist and dog trainer Jennifer Cattet, Ph.D., developed a groundbreaking diabetic alert dog training program. She and her husband, Jack Topham, founded Medical Mutts in 2013 in Indianapolis.
Recognized as world experts in medical detection, Medical Mutts has pioneered groundbreaking training methods that empower dogs to assist with not just diabetes, but psychiatric challenges, hearing loss, migraine, allergies and more.
Unlike many organizations, Medical Mutts rescues canine candidates from shelters, with a commitment to giving them a chance to become life-changing service dogs. However, the nonprofit also provides training for dogs who are already in homes and even enables people to train their own dogs.
Led by Cattet as executive director, Medical Mutts promotes collaboration between dogs and people through utilizing science-backed research, education and ethical training that centers on kindness and positive reinforcement.
“Medical Mutts makes a lasting impact by transforming the lives of both people with disabilities and rescue dogs,” Cattet says. “Our service dogs provide not only life-saving alerts and practical help, but also emotional support, greater independence and renewed confidence. The bond between a Medical Mutt and their person is unlike any other.”
All Medical Mutts dogs are scent trained to recognize a change in their person's physiology. They can smell adverse physical responses, such as blood sugar drops, seizures and cardiac episodes minutes to hours before they occur, even before detection devices. The dogs are trained to offer aid by performing tasks such as waking a person up, fetching necessary medication and pressing a button that calls for help.
Since its founding, Medical Mutts has placed more than 125 service dogs and trained more than 165 owner dogs as service dogs throughout North America.
Though the program carefully selects dogs that have a good disposition, love people and adapt easily to new places, that doesn’t guarantee that every dog rescued has what it takes to become a service dog. In fact, only around 25 to 30 percent of the animals that go into service dog training make the final cut.
“Some dogs just don’t want to be a service dog,” Director of Development Abigail Harlan says. "Very few dogs have the social skills and the ability to adapt to a large variety of situations."
According to Harlan, Medical Mutts’ largest program is actually the local adoption program. In 2024 alone, 80 dogs were rescued and adopted. Having been temperament tested and some having even received robust training, these dogs are ready to go to their forever homes.
Adoption events are held on a regular basis, and fees for non-service dogs are only $300, including two training sessions with a dog trainer.
Medical Mutts is always looking for help and support.
“When you think of running a shelter, it’s 24-7,” Harlan says. “We have tons of volunteer opportunities.”
Donations and sponsorships are also welcome, especially as the Medical Mutts campus experienced flooding this spring due to heavy rains and is working to rebuild the first floor quarantine facility.
“Our mission speaks to many people,” Harlan says. “Whether you are invested in supporting veterans or ensuring people with disabilities have the resources they need or whether you want to help save dogs, it fits with what we do: Saving dogs. Helping People. Promoting Kindness.”
For additional details, visit MedicalMutts.org.