ICAN (Indiana Canine Assistant Network) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that trains assistance dogs to help people live more independent lives.
Key features of the program:
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Service dogs are trained for about two years and learn 50–80 commands.
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Dogs help with tasks like:
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retrieving dropped items
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opening doors or turning on lights
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providing mobility balance
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assisting people with developmental or physical disabilities.
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Most of the daily training is done by carefully selected incarcerated individuals in Indiana prisons, giving them job skills, discipline, and purpose as they prepare to reenter society.
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After training, the dogs are placed with individuals, schools, hospitals, or therapy programs.
So the program actually changes three lives at once:
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The person receiving the service dog
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The incarcerated trainer gaining life skills
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The communities served by the dog
How the Program Helped Honor Deputy Carl Koontz
In March 2016, Deputy Carl Koontz of the Howard County Sheriff’s Department was shot and killed while serving a warrant, leaving behind his wife Kassie and their infant son Noah.
After his death, someone contacted ICAN and sponsored a service dog in Carl’s honor.
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The black Labrador was named “Koontz.”
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The dog was trained through the ICAN program and became a service/facility dog helping people with disabilities.
For Kassie and the community, the dog became a living tribute to Carl’s legacy.
Kassie said the tribute meant a lot because Carl loved dogs and had wanted to become a K-9 officer.
How It Helped Kassie and the Koontz Family
The ICAN dog program helped Kassie in several meaningful ways:
1. Continuing Carl’s Legacy of Service
The dog named “Koontz” now helps others—much like Carl dedicated his life to helping and protecting people.
2. A Healing Symbol for the Family
ICAN leaders noted that dogs named after someone can help families in the grieving process by keeping the person’s memory alive through positive impact.
3. A Story That Lives On
Kassie even talked about creating a patch for the dog so that every future handler could tell Carl’s story when people ask about the name.
In other words, every time the dog helps someone or visits a school or facility, it becomes another moment where Deputy Koontz’s story and sacrifice are remembered.
✅ The bigger picture:
The ICAN program turned a tragedy into something that continues to help people every day—keeping Deputy Koontz’s name connected to compassion, service, and hope.
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