Janet Severt, NHSDI Founder, Executive Director, and a quadriplegic since age 7, has dedicated her life to helping people with disabilities. During college she worked to establish services for students with disabilities that included adaptive sports, test taking alternatives, and recreational opportunities. From a very early age, she was active in educating the community on the needs of persons with disabilities. Janet became a puppy raiser for "The Seeing Eye" organization at age eleven; this experience later evolved into her vision and the eventual establishment of New Horizons Service Dogs, Inc. As a result of Janet’s efforts, New Horizons has gained a positive reputation among people with disabilities throughout the state. She is a service dog user and, with the help of others who are equally committed to helping improve the quality of life of people with disabilities, she can easily assimilate and formulate strategies to address the needs of the canine/client partnership. Primarily trained to assist wheelchair users and others with mobility problems, we also have canine/client partnerships in other working situations such as adult living facilities, nursing homes and private homes, depending on the dog’s temperament and abilities.
