PROFESSIONAL OVERSIGHT FOR CANINE CASES

Canine Case Management

When the situation involves more than teaching the dog what to do.

Canine Case Management provides structured oversight for behavioral incidents, service-dog team concerns, foster and placement decisions, working-dog transitions, and accessibility-related cases.

The work may include reviewing records, organizing timelines, identifying missing information, monitoring welfare and safety concerns, coordinating with involved professionals, supporting difficult decisions, and following the case through a defined resolution or transition.

This is not a predetermined training curriculum. The case begins with what is happening, who is involved, what decisions must be made, and what information is needed to move forward responsibly.

Available to individuals and eligible organizations · Virtual case support available · In-person involvement limited to the current West Tennessee service area

Case Management Is the Service

Training may be recommended, coordinated, or provided separately when appropriate. It is not automatically included in a Canine Case Management case.

The purpose of this service is to maintain a clear view of the case: the history, current concerns, involved parties, available evidence, professional recommendations, welfare considerations, decisions, and follow-through.

The goal is not to keep a case open. The goal is to help it reach a responsible next stage.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT

What Canine Case Management Means

Some situations cannot be addressed responsibly by scheduling lessons and choosing behaviors to teach.

The dog may have a complicated history. Multiple people or organizations may be involved. Records may conflict or be incomplete. Safety, welfare, placement, access, health, training, and legal concerns may overlap. A major decision may need to be made before anyone knows what instruction—if any—should come next.

Canine Case Management creates structure around that larger situation.

SKILL DEVELOPMENT

Dog Training

Dog training focuses on helping a dog and person develop, change, strengthen, or generalize behavior. The work may include:

Teaching new behaviors
Changing established behavior patterns
Developing communication
Building handler skills
Practicing in relevant environments
Adjusting reinforcement and management
Troubleshooting implementation
Measuring behavioral progress

The central question is: What does this dog-and-person team need to learn or practice?

CASE OVERSIGHT

Canine Case Management

Canine Case Management focuses on understanding and overseeing a defined situation that may involve the dog, one or more people, an organization, outside professionals, records, incidents, and significant decisions. The work may include:

Organizing the case history
Reviewing available records and reports
Identifying missing or conflicting information
Documenting behavioral and welfare concerns
Clarifying the people and organizations involved
Tracking referrals and professional recommendations
Supporting decisions and implementation planning
Monitoring follow-through
Recording changes in the case
Preparing the case for resolution, transition, or referral

The central question is: What information, coordination, and decisions are needed to move this case forward responsibly?

Case Management May Identify a Training Need

A case may reveal that training would be useful. It may also reveal that veterinary evaluation, environmental change, management, placement support, legal guidance, accessibility review, a different professional, or a transition in the dog’s role is needed first.

When training is appropriate, it may be provided through a separate Two Dogs Diverged training service or referred to another qualified professional. Training is not automatically included simply because behavior is part of the case.

Similarly, enrolling in a training program does not automatically create a Canine Case Management relationship.

The service is defined by the work being performed—not simply by the presence of a dog or a behavioral concern.

Canine Case Management does not begin with a curriculum. It begins by establishing what the case actually is.

FIVE PATHWAYS · ONE CASE-OVERSIGHT FRAMEWORK

Where Does the Case Begin?

The pathways identify the primary reason case oversight is being requested. They do not force a complex situation into a single category.

A case may begin in one pathway and reveal concerns connected to another. The scope will be defined around the actual case, the people involved, the decisions that must be made, and the work Two Dogs Diverged is qualified to provide.

Pathway 01

BEHAVIOR · SAFETY · DOCUMENTATION

Behavioral & Incident Case Management

Who It May Support

Pet owners, handlers, fosters, adopters, rescues, shelters, animal-care professionals, and organizations managing a significant behavioral event or ongoing concern.

Situations It May Address

A bite, attempted bite, fight, escape, or other serious incident
Conflicting accounts of what occurred
Repeated behavioral concerns involving multiple settings or people
Incomplete behavioral or placement history
The need to organize incident reports and supporting records
Safety and management decisions following an incident
Coordination among the owner, veterinarian, trainer, behavior professional, rescue, shelter, insurer, attorney, or another involved party
Follow-up after recommendations are made

Boundary: This pathway documents and oversees the case. It does not replace emergency response, animal-control authority, veterinary diagnosis, legal advice, or a separate behavior-modification program.

Pathway 02

TEAM FUNCTION · WELFARE · CONTINUITY

Service Dog Team Case Management

Who It May Support

Current service-dog handlers, owner-trainers, secondary handlers, caregivers, families, and organizations supporting an established or developing service-dog team.

Situations It May Address

A sudden or gradual change in the dog’s behavior or working capacity
Conflicting recommendations about continuing service work
Health, welfare, handling, or environmental concerns affecting the partnership
Breakdowns involving the handler, dog, caregiver, secondary handler, trainer, school, employer, or another support system
Repeated incidents that require organized review
A need to clarify responsibilities and next steps
Return-to-work, reduced-work, or role-change planning
Coordination among the handler and appropriate professionals

Boundary: This pathway does not certify service-dog teams, guarantee public access, determine disability status, or replace veterinary, medical, legal, or individualized training services.

Pathway 03

HISTORY · MATCHING · PLACEMENT STABILITY

Foster, Adoption & Placement Case Management

Who It May Support

Fosters, adopters, pet owners, rescues, shelters, placement coordinators, and animal-care organizations.

Situations It May Address

Organizing a dog’s known history before placement
Reviewing behavioral, veterinary, foster, surrender, and incident records
Identifying information that should be disclosed to potential caregivers
Comparing the dog’s needs with a proposed home or placement
Preparing transition and follow-up plans
Monitoring adjustment after placement
Coordinating communication among fosters, adopters, rescues, shelters, trainers, veterinarians, and other involved professionals
Supporting return, transfer, or placement-reassessment decisions

Boundary: This pathway does not establish legal ownership, authorize transfer, guarantee placement success, provide rescue intake, or replace the placing organization’s adoption and liability procedures.

Pathway 04

ROLE CHANGE · LOSS · RESPONSIBLE TRANSITION

Retirement, Washout & Transition Case Management

Who It May Support

Service-dog handlers, working-dog handlers, families, secondary handlers, caregivers, trainers, and organizations navigating a change in the dog’s role.

Situations It May Address

Planned or unexpected service-dog retirement
A prospect or developing dog being removed from service-dog work
Reduced workload or modified working responsibilities
Temporary suspension of work while information is gathered
Changes caused by health, behavior, age, handler capacity, or environmental demands
Decisions about remaining with the handler or moving to another home
Transition planning for the handler, dog, household, and successor dog
Documentation of the decision and follow-up after the transition

Boundary: This pathway supports the decision process and transition. It does not predetermine that a dog must retire, wash out, remain in work, or be rehomed.

Pathway 05

ACCESS · INCIDENT RESPONSE · PROFESSIONAL COORDINATION

Accessibility-Related Service Dog Case Support

Who It May Support

Service-dog handlers, caregivers, families, businesses, nonprofits, event organizers, animal-care organizations, and other parties trying to understand or respond to an accessibility-related service-dog incident.

Situations It May Address

Organizing the facts of an access denial or removal
Documenting an encounter involving another animal
Reviewing incident timelines, written policies, correspondence, and available records
Distinguishing behavioral concerns from assumptions about disability or legitimacy
Helping an organization identify unanswered operational questions
Preparing a handler or organization for a follow-up conversation
Tracking referrals to an ADA coordinator, attorney, government agency, trainer, veterinarian, animal control, or another appropriate professional
Supporting a documented resolution or future-access plan

Boundary: This pathway provides education, documentation support, case organization, and professional coordination. It does not provide legal advice, legal representation, formal ADA certification, regulatory enforcement, or a binding determination that discrimination occurred.

The Pathway Identifies the Starting Point—not the Outcome

The initial inquiry may reveal that the concern belongs in a different pathway, requires a narrower scope, needs a separate professional before case management can begin, or falls outside the service entirely.

Acceptance is based on the actual circumstances, available information, safety considerations, professional boundaries, conflicts of interest, and whether meaningful case oversight can be provided.

Not Sure Which Pathway Fits?

Describe what is happening, who is involved, what decisions are pending, and what support has already been requested or provided.

DISCUSS A CASE

DEFINED WORK · DOCUMENTED BOUNDARIES

What Case Oversight May Include

Every accepted case begins with a written scope. That scope identifies the concern being reviewed, the people and animals involved, the available information, the decisions requiring support, and the work Two Dogs Diverged has agreed to perform.

Not every case requires every service listed below.

Case History and Timeline

Available information may be organized into a clear chronological record.

This may include:

Acquisition, placement, or working history
Relevant behavioral events
Health or veterinary developments
Changes in home, work, or handling
Training and professional involvement
Reported incidents and responses
Previous decisions and recommendations
Current unresolved questions

Record and Document Review

Relevant records may be reviewed to identify established facts, reported information, inconsistencies, missing documentation, and questions requiring clarification.

Records may include:

Intake or surrender forms
Adoption or foster records
Incident and bite reports
Training records
Veterinary records provided for review
Behavior assessments
Written policies
Emails and other case correspondence
Photographs or video submitted for review

Note: Review does not independently verify that every submitted statement or record is accurate.

Behavioral and Welfare Concerns

The case may document concerns involving:

Human or animal safety
Fear, stress, avoidance, or arousal
Recovery after difficult events
Handling and environmental demands
Working-dog capacity
Quality of life
Placement stability
Changes in behavior or participation
Conflicts between a desired outcome and the dog’s welfare

Note: Behavioral observation is not veterinary diagnosis, medical prognosis, or a guarantee of future behavior.

Decision Support

Case management may help the responsible parties identify available options, relevant risks, missing information, and likely consequences.

Decisions may involve:

Continuing the current plan
Changing management or environment
Requesting another professional assessment
Beginning separate training services
Pausing or reducing work
Changing the dog’s role
Revisiting placement
Creating a transition plan
Closing or transferring the case

Note: Two Dogs Diverged supports responsible decisions but does not assume legal ownership or decision-making authority over the dog.

Professional Coordination

With appropriate authorization, case management may help organize communication among involved parties.

This may include:

Identifying which professional should address a question
Preparing information for a referral
Tracking requested records or recommendations
Organizing case conferences
Clarifying assigned responsibilities
Documenting decisions and follow-up steps
Reducing contradictory or fragmented communication

Note: Other professionals remain responsible for their own opinions, services, records, and decisions.

Monitoring and Follow-Up

An accepted case may include scheduled review of what has changed after a recommendation, placement, incident, role transition, or other decision.

Follow-up may document:

Actions completed
Recommendations not yet implemented
New concerns or incidents
Changes in behavior or welfare
Updated professional guidance
Whether the current plan remains workable
Whether the case can close or requires referral

Note: Follow-up occurs according to the agreed case schedule. It is not continuous surveillance or emergency availability.

PROFESSIONAL BOUNDARIES

What Canine Case Management Does Not Provide

Unless separately contracted and professionally appropriate, Canine Case Management does not provide:

Emergency or crisis response
Veterinary diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, or medical direction
Legal advice, representation, or findings of legal liability
Mental-health or medical care for a person
Animal-control, law-enforcement, regulatory, or investigative authority
Legal ownership determinations
Custody, boarding, fostering, or physical supervision of the animal
Rescue intake or guaranteed placement
Formal forensic evaluation or expert-witness testimony
Guaranteed behavior, safety, placement, working status, or case outcome
Service-dog certification or public-access guarantee
Dog-training lessons unless arranged through a separate training agreement
Implementation of another professional’s recommendations without review and agreement

Case Management organizes and supports the work. It does not replace the professionals, authorities, or responsible parties whose roles remain necessary.

The written scope protects the client, the dog, the involved professionals, and Two Dogs Diverged from unclear expectations.

FIT · AUTHORITY · SAFETY · SCOPE

Is Canine Case Management Appropriate for This Case?

Submitting an inquiry does not automatically open a case. The request must first be reviewed for fit, professional scope, safety, conflicts of interest, available information, and the requester’s authority to participate.

The purpose of screening is not to avoid difficult cases. It is to determine whether Two Dogs Diverged can contribute responsibly without replacing a professional, organization, or public authority whose involvement is necessary.

ELIGIBLE FOR INITIAL REVIEW

A Case May Be Appropriate When

A defined concern, incident, transition, placement, or decision requires structured oversight
The requester can identify who owns, controls, houses, handles, or has decision-making authority for the dog
Relevant parties are willing to provide accurate information
The available records can be reviewed lawfully and with appropriate authorization
The requester understands that case management does not guarantee a preferred conclusion
The work can be performed within Two Dogs Diverged’s professional scope
The case can be supported safely through the proposed virtual or in-person format
The responsible party is willing to complete necessary referrals and follow-up requirements
The case has a practical question, decision, transition, or resolution toward which the work can progress

Individuals and organizations do not need to arrive with a complete file. They must be willing to identify what is known, what is missing, and what still needs to be established.

ADDITIONAL SCREENING REQUIRED

Conditional and Referral-Dependent Cases

Some cases may be considered only after immediate risks are addressed and appropriate local professionals or authorities are involved. These may include:

A recent bite or attempted bite
Repeated aggressive behavior
An active dangerous-dog designation or proceeding
A dog currently presenting an immediate safety threat
A possible behavioral-euthanasia decision
Serious or unexplained changes in behavior
A suspected medical contribution to behavior
Active legal, custody, ownership, or placement disputes
A case involving child safety or a vulnerable adult
A working dog whose health or welfare may be compromised
An active animal-control, law-enforcement, insurance, or regulatory matter
A proposed placement involving significant known risk

Depending on the case, acceptance or continuation may require involvement from a veterinarian, veterinary behaviorist, qualified behavior professional, attorney, ADA coordinator, animal-control agency, law-enforcement agency, insurer, rescue or shelter authority, or another appropriate local professional.

Canine Case Management may organize and support the case around those professionals. It does not substitute for them.

OUTSIDE AVAILABLE SCOPE

A Case May Be Declined, Paused, or Closed When

A person or animal is in immediate danger and emergency intervention is required
The requester wants emergency monitoring or continuous availability
Required veterinary, legal, behavioral, or public-authority involvement is refused
The requester lacks authority to release records or make decisions connected to the dog
An organizational case is submitted without authorization from an appropriate representative
Material information is knowingly withheld, altered, or misrepresented
The requested outcome has already been predetermined and documentation is being sought only to justify it
The service is being used to avoid reporting requirements, organizational procedures, or professional recommendations
The requested work requires legal, veterinary, forensic, clinical, regulatory, or investigative authority
The case creates a conflict of interest that cannot be managed responsibly
The safety requirements exceed what can be provided virtually or within the available West Tennessee service area
Communication becomes threatening, abusive, discriminatory, or persistently unworkable
Fees, records, releases, agreed actions, or other case requirements are not completed
Continued involvement is no longer useful, ethical, safe, or within scope

Declining or closing a case is not a declaration that the concern is unimportant. It may mean that another professional or authority is better positioned to respond.

Organizational Cases Require an Authorized Representative

A foster, volunteer, employee, adopter, transporter, trainer, or other involved person may have important information about a dog. That involvement does not automatically provide authority to open a case on behalf of an organization.

When a rescue, shelter, foster program, animal-care organization, business, or other entity owns the dog or controls the relevant records and decisions, an authorized representative must approve the case. The representative must have authority to:

Enter the service agreement
Identify the organization’s decision-makers
Authorize access to relevant records
Approve communication with involved professionals
Receive case documentation
Make or route decisions within the organization
Accept financial responsibility for the service

Information may still be gathered from caregivers and other involved parties when appropriate. Their participation does not replace organizational authorization.

Not an emergency service. Canine Case Management is not an emergency service. If a person or animal is in immediate danger, contact emergency services, law enforcement, animal control, an emergency veterinarian, or the appropriate local authority before submitting an inquiry.

Acceptance means the case fits the current service scope. It does not validate every allegation, guarantee every record is accurate, or predict the final outcome.

FIT · AUTHORITY · SAFETY · SCOPE

Is Canine Case Management Appropriate for This Case?

ELIGIBLE FOR INITIAL REVIEW

A Case May Be Appropriate When

A defined concern, incident, transition, placement, or decision requires structured oversight
The requester can identify who owns, controls, houses, handles, or has decision-making authority for the dog
Relevant parties are willing to provide accurate information
The available records can be reviewed lawfully and with appropriate authorization
The requester understands that case management does not guarantee a preferred conclusion
The work can be performed within Two Dogs Diverged’s professional scope
The case can be supported safely through the proposed virtual or in-person format
The responsible party is willing to complete necessary referrals and follow-up requirements
The case has a practical question, decision, transition, or resolution toward which the work can progress

Individuals and organizations do not need to arrive with a complete file. They must be willing to identify what is known, what is missing, and what still needs to be established.

ADDITIONAL SCREENING REQUIRED

Conditional and Referral-Dependent Cases

Some cases may be considered only after immediate risks are addressed and appropriate local professionals or authorities are involved. These may include:

A recent bite or attempted bite
Repeated aggressive behavior
An active dangerous-dog designation or proceeding
A dog currently presenting an immediate safety threat
A possible behavioral-euthanasia decision
Serious or unexplained changes in behavior
A suspected medical contribution to behavior
Active legal, custody, ownership, or placement disputes
A case involving child safety or a vulnerable adult
A working dog whose health or welfare may be compromised
An active animal-control, law-enforcement, insurance, or regulatory matter
A proposed placement involving significant known risk

Canine Case Management may organize and support the case around those professionals. It does not substitute for them.

OUTSIDE AVAILABLE SCOPE

A Case May Be Declined, Paused, or Closed When

A person or animal is in immediate danger and emergency intervention is required
The requester wants emergency monitoring or continuous availability
Required veterinary, legal, behavioral, or public-authority involvement is refused
The requester lacks authority to release records or make decisions connected to the dog
An organizational case is submitted without authorization from an appropriate representative
Material information is knowingly withheld, altered, or misrepresented
The requested outcome has already been predetermined and documentation is being sought only to justify it
The service is being used to avoid reporting requirements, organizational procedures, or professional recommendations
The requested work requires legal, veterinary, forensic, clinical, regulatory, or investigative authority
The case creates a conflict of interest that cannot be managed responsibly
The safety requirements exceed what can be provided virtually or within the available West Tennessee service area
Communication becomes threatening, abusive, discriminatory, or persistently unworkable
Fees, records, releases, agreed actions, or other case requirements are not completed
Continued involvement is no longer useful, ethical, safe, or within scope

Declining or closing a case is not a declaration that the concern is unimportant. It may mean that another professional or authority is better positioned to respond.

ORGANIZATIONAL AUTHORIZATION

Organizational Cases Require an Authorized Representative

Enter the service agreement
Identify the organization’s decision-makers
Authorize access to relevant records
Approve communication with involved professionals
Receive case documentation
Make or route decisions within the organization
Accept financial responsibility for the service

Information may still be gathered from caregivers and other involved parties when appropriate. Their participation does not replace organizational authorization.

Acceptance means the case fits the current service scope. It does not validate every allegation, guarantee every record is accurate, or predict the final outcome.

INTAKE · OVERSIGHT · RESOLUTION

How a Case Moves Forward

Canine Case Management is a defined professional engagement. It does not begin with unlimited access, an open-ended promise to solve the situation, or an assumption that every inquiry should become a case.

The process establishes fit, authority, scope, information, responsibilities, and a reasonable point of closure.

01 · INITIAL CONVERSATION
Begin Through the Existing Consultation Calendar
The requester schedules a free consultation and explains: what is happening; who and which animals are involved; what has already occurred; which decisions are pending; which professionals or organizations are involved; whether there are immediate safety concerns; and what kind of support the requester believes is needed.
This conversation is preliminary. It is not a case review, record analysis, behavior assessment, legal consultation, or emergency service.
Outcome: The request moves to intake, is redirected to another Two Dogs Diverged service, receives a referral direction, or is declined.
02 · PRELIMINARY SCREENING
Confirm Fit, Authority, and Immediate Needs
The request is screened for: service-pathway fit; requester authority; conflicts of interest; professional boundaries; safety and urgency; geographic and remote-service limitations; required outside referrals; available records; and whether meaningful case oversight is possible.
High-risk cases may require veterinary, legal, behavioral, organizational, or public-authority involvement before acceptance.
Outcome: Proceed to formal intake, request additional preliminary information, require a referral, or decline the case.
03 · FORMAL INTAKE
Identify the Case Before Defining the Work
The requester completes the appropriate intake and provides available information about: the dog; the people and organizations involved; ownership and decision-making authority; known history; relevant incidents; current safety and welfare concerns; previous recommendations; pending decisions; desired outcomes; and relevant records and professional contacts.
The requester must disclose known bites, aggression, health concerns, legal matters, ownership disputes, and active agency involvement.
Outcome: A preliminary case profile identifying known information, missing information, and the central questions requiring support.
04 · SCOPE AND AGREEMENT
Define What Two Dogs Diverged Is Being Retained to Do
Before substantive work begins, the client receives a written scope describing: the case-management pathway; the primary case questions; included services and deliverables; excluded services; authorized participants; communication boundaries; record-release requirements; referral requirements; fees and payment terms; conditions for pausing or closing the case; and the initial review period or case milestone.
Additional work outside the approved scope requires written agreement.
Outcome: A signed agreement, required authorizations, initial payment, and formally opened case.
05 · CASE REVIEW AND PLANNING
Organize the Information and Establish Priorities
Two Dogs Diverged reviews the authorized records and organizes the case around: established information; reported but unverified information; conflicting accounts; missing documentation; safety and welfare priorities; questions requiring another professional; decisions that can and cannot yet be made; assigned responsibilities; and immediate and longer-term next steps.
Outcome: A documented case plan or review summary identifying priorities, referrals, responsibilities, and next review points.
06 · COORDINATION AND FOLLOW-UP
Track What Happens After the Plan Is Made
Depending on the agreed scope, case oversight may include: scheduled client check-ins; authorized professional communication; review of new records or incidents; tracking referrals and recommendations; monitoring welfare, safety, placement, access, or transition concerns; documenting completed and incomplete actions; reassessing whether the plan remains appropriate; and updating the case record when circumstances change.
New concerns may require a scope change, additional fee, separate training agreement, local professional, or transfer of the case.
Outcome: Updated case notes, documented decisions, revised next steps, or preparation for closure.
07 · CLOSURE OR TRANSFER
End the Case Deliberately
A case may close when: the defined work has been completed; the pending decision has been made; the transition or placement has reached the agreed review point; the client can continue without case oversight; another professional or organization assumes responsibility; the case no longer falls within scope; required participation or referrals are not completed; or continuing is no longer safe, ethical, or productive.
Closure does not guarantee that every concern has disappeared. It means the agreed case-management work has ended.
Outcome: A closure communication identifying the work completed, current case status, unresolved concerns, active referrals, and any recommended next steps.

A Case Is Not Open Until It Is Accepted in Writing

A scheduled consultation, intake form, uploaded record, email, voicemail, or payment request does not independently establish a Canine Case Management relationship.

The case opens only after the written scope and agreement are accepted, required authorizations are completed, and the initial payment is received.

Clear beginnings make responsible endings possible.

DISCUSS A CASE

You do not need to diagnose the entire situation before scheduling. Begin with what is happening.

DOCUMENTATION WITH A PURPOSE

Keeping the Case Coherent

Complex cases become harder to manage when information is scattered across text messages, intake forms, memories, veterinary records, incident reports, and conversations involving different people.

Canine Case Management organizes relevant information into a usable case record. Documentation is created to support responsible decisions and continuity—not to manufacture certainty or produce paperwork for its own sake.

Case Intake Record

The intake record establishes the starting point of the case.

It may document:

The dog’s identifying information
Ownership, custody, and current placement
Authorized decision-makers
People and organizations involved
The presenting concern
Known safety and welfare issues
Active professionals or agencies
Pending decisions
Available records
Information still needed

Case Timeline

A chronological timeline may organize significant events such as:

Acquisition, surrender, foster, adoption, or placement
Behavioral changes
Reported incidents
Veterinary developments
Training involvement
Access conflicts
Changes in work or household expectations
Professional recommendations
Role transitions
Follow-up outcomes

The timeline should distinguish documented events from recollections or reports that have not been independently verified.

Incident Documentation

When an incident is relevant to the case, documentation may include:

Date, time, and location
People and animals present
Events preceding the incident
Observable behavior
Physical contact or injury
Handler and witness responses
Environmental conditions
Immediate safety measures
Medical, veterinary, or authority involvement
Available photographs, video, records, and witness information
Actions taken afterward

The purpose is to document what is known—not to force a conclusion before the available information has been reviewed.

Case Plan and Action Record

The case plan may identify:

Immediate priorities
Unanswered questions
Required referrals
Assigned responsibilities
Records to obtain
Safety or management measures
Decisions that must be postponed
Agreed next steps
Follow-up dates or milestones
Conditions requiring reassessment

The action record shows what was recommended, what was completed, and what remains unresolved.

Professional Coordination Record

When communication with another professional or organization is authorized, the case record may document:

Who was contacted
Why the contact was relevant
What information was requested or provided
Recommendations received
Limits placed on the professional’s opinion
Follow-up responsibilities
Conflicting recommendations requiring clarification
Records still awaiting receipt

Two Dogs Diverged does not alter another professional’s records or present their opinion as its own.

Closure or Transfer Summary

At the end of the agreed work, a closure or transfer summary may identify:

The original reason the case was opened
Work completed within the approved scope
Decisions made
Actions implemented
Current placement, role, or case status
Unresolved concerns
Active safety or welfare considerations
Referrals still in progress
Recommendations for continued support
The reason for closure or transfer

Closure documentation describes the status of the case when oversight ends. It is not a guarantee of future behavior or outcome.

Records Must Be Relevant, Authorized, and Handled Responsibly

Clients and organizations must have the authority to share submitted records. Information should be limited to what is reasonably relevant to the accepted case.

Case documentation may contain sensitive information about people, animals, incidents, disability, health, placement, ownership, or organizational decisions. Records are not automatically shared with every person involved in the case.

Written authorization may be required before Two Dogs Diverged communicates with or releases information to another individual, professional, organization, insurer, attorney, agency, or authority.

Submitting a record does not prove that every statement within it is complete or accurate. Case documents should identify the source of information and distinguish direct observation, client report, third-party report, professional opinion, and independently available documentation whenever reasonably possible.

Good documentation does not decide the case. It makes responsible decision-making possible.

ONE FRAMEWORK · DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Support for Individuals and Organizations

The case-management framework remains consistent: define the concern, organize the information, identify responsibilities, support decisions, track follow-through, and close or transfer the case deliberately.

What changes is who has authority, who participates, how records are handled, and where responsibility for decisions remains.

INDIVIDUAL CASE SUPPORT

For Owners, Handlers, Fosters, and Adopters

Individual case support may be appropriate when one person or household needs help organizing and navigating a defined canine concern.

This may include:

A pet owner responding to a serious behavioral incident
A service-dog handler reviewing changes in the partnership
A foster trying to document behavior and communicate with a rescue
An adopter managing concerns discovered after placement
A handler considering retirement, washout, reduced work, or transition
A person organizing an accessibility-related service-dog incident
A family coordinating care and decisions involving a dog
A caregiver or secondary handler helping maintain continuity

The Individual Remains Responsible For

Providing accurate information
Disclosing known safety and health concerns
Identifying who owns or controls the dog
Completing required releases and referrals
Following emergency and local reporting requirements
Making decisions within their lawful authority
Implementing agreed safety and welfare measures
Communicating material changes in the case

Case Management supports the person making or carrying out decisions. It does not take custody of the dog or assume responsibility for daily care.

ORGANIZATIONAL CASE SUPPORT

For Rescues, Shelters, and Animal-Care Organizations

Organizational case support may be appropriate when a case involves institutional records, multiple caregivers, competing responsibilities, or decisions that must move through an established chain of authority.

This may include:

Reviewing a dog’s available placement and incident history
Organizing information from multiple fosters or staff members
Supporting placement, return, transfer, or transition decisions
Documenting behavioral and welfare concerns
Clarifying which professional should address each question
Coordinating authorized case communication
Creating follow-up expectations after placement
Reviewing whether internal processes were completed
Supporting a defined accessibility-related service-dog matter
Helping prepare the case for transfer to another professional

The Organization Remains Responsible For

Ownership and custody decisions
Legal and regulatory compliance
Required reports and mandatory disclosures
Staff, volunteer, foster, and adopter supervision
Veterinary authorization and care
Adoption, foster, surrender, and transfer contracts
Insurance and risk-management decisions
Implementing recommendations
Determining who has organizational authority
Final placement or disposition decisions

Two Dogs Diverged may support the organization’s process. It does not become the organization’s director, legal counsel, veterinarian, animal-control authority, or placement decision-maker.

When More Than One Party Is Involved

Some cases involve an owner, foster, adopter, rescue, shelter, trainer, veterinarian, attorney, insurer, employer, school, business, caregiver, or public authority at the same time.

Before substantive coordination begins, the written scope should identify:

Who is the client
Who is authorized to give instructions
Who may provide information
Who may receive records or updates
Who is financially responsible
Who owns or controls the dog
Who makes final decisions
Which communications require written authorization
How disagreements or conflicting instructions will be handled

Participation in the case does not automatically provide access to every record or authority over the final decision.

Case Management can organize many voices without pretending every voice holds the same role.

Bring the Situation—not a Perfect Service Name

Use the existing consultation calendar to describe who is involved, what decisions are pending, and what kind of coordination may be needed.

DISCUSS A CASE

LOCATION CHANGES THE AVAILABLE INFORMATION

Tennessee and Remote Case Support

Many parts of case oversight can be performed through records, interviews, scheduled meetings, video, photographs, written communication, and coordination with professionals already involved.

Location still matters. Laws, reporting duties, available agencies, professional licensing, emergency resources, and the ability to observe the dog directly may vary from one jurisdiction to another.

TENNESSEE-BASED SUPPORT

Tennessee and West Tennessee Cases

Two Dogs Diverged is based in Somerville, Tennessee, with in-person availability limited to the current West Tennessee service area.

Depending on the accepted scope, Tennessee-based support may include:

Virtual intake and record review
Scheduled virtual case meetings
In-person observation when appropriate and available
Review of submitted behavior or incident video
Coordination with authorized local professionals
Placement or transition follow-up
Accessibility-related case organization
Support identifying the relevant Tennessee or local resource
Separate training or observation services when independently contracted

In-person availability does not create emergency-response, investigative, animal-control, veterinary, or enforcement authority.

AVAILABLE BEYOND GEOGRAPHY

Remote Case Support

Eligible cases may be supported remotely when the work can be performed responsibly through available records, communication, and remote observation.

Remote support may be appropriate for:

Organizing a case history or incident timeline
Reviewing authorized records
Identifying missing information
Preparing questions for local professionals
Supporting a service-dog transition
Tracking placement follow-up
Coordinating scheduled communication
Organizing an accessibility-related incident
Reviewing policies or written correspondence
Monitoring agreed case milestones

Remote Case Management does not provide local emergency intervention, hands-on control of the dog, direct inspection of an environment, or independent verification of everything shown or reported remotely.

A Local Professional May Still Be Required

The client may be required to involve an appropriate local veterinarian, behavior professional, trainer, attorney, ADA coordinator, rescue or shelter representative, animal-control agency, law-enforcement agency, or other authority.

The case may be paused, limited, transferred, or declined when necessary local support is unavailable or refused.

The Location of the Client, Dog, and Incident All Matter

A remote case may involve more than one jurisdiction. The client may live in one state, the dog may be housed in another, an incident may have occurred elsewhere, and an organization may operate across several locations.

Before case work begins, the intake should identify:

Where the client is located
Where the dog is currently housed
Where any relevant incident occurred
Where an organization is formed or operates
Which professionals or agencies are already involved
Whether a court, animal-control authority, insurer, employer, school, housing provider, or other entity has jurisdiction
Whether records may be shared across the involved locations
Whether the requested work requires a locally licensed professional

Two Dogs Diverged may help organize jurisdiction-related questions but does not provide legal advice or determine which law controls a disputed matter.

Remote access can make case oversight possible. It cannot erase the importance of local authority, direct observation, or appropriate professional care.

Start With Where Everyone Is Located

When scheduling the consultation, identify your location, the dog’s location, where the incident or concern occurred, and whether any local professional or agency is already involved.

DISCUSS A CASE

THE PRINCIPLES BEHIND THE WORK

The Case Is More Than a File

A case record may contain incidents, observations, recommendations, and difficult decisions. It also represents a living dog and people whose lives, access, safety, responsibilities, and relationships may be affected by what happens next.

Canine Case Management must remain organized without becoming detached from those realities.

Principle 1: The Person Is Not Reduced to the Problem

A service-dog handler is not simply an access dispute. An adopter is not simply a failed placement. A foster is not simply an incident report. An owner asking for help is not automatically irresponsible.

Capacity, disability, resources, safety, history, environment, authority, and available support all affect what can reasonably happen next.

Handler-first and person-centered support does not mean every requested outcome is possible. It means the person is treated as an active participant rather than an obstacle within the case.

Principle 2: The Dog’s Welfare Is Not Secondary

Preserving a placement, working role, service-dog label, adoption outcome, or organizational reputation does not matter more than the dog’s physical and behavioral welfare.

Stress, pain, fear, recovery, willingness, capacity, environmental fit, and quality of life provide relevant information.

The dog cannot explain the case in words, but the dog is never absent from it.

Principle 3: Decisions Belong to the Individual Case

The same incident does not always require the same response. Similar behavior may arise from different histories, environments, medical conditions, learning experiences, handling patterns, or levels of risk.

Case Management does not use one predetermined outcome for every bite, access conflict, failed placement, washout, or retirement decision.

The available information must be considered in the context of the dog and circumstances actually in front of us.

Principle 4: Documentation Should Improve the Decision

More paperwork does not automatically create more clarity.

Records should help establish what is known, what was reported, what remains uncertain, who holds responsibility, which professional is needed, and what must happen next.

Documentation should not be used to overwhelm participants, bury unresolved concerns, or create the appearance of certainty where certainty does not exist.

Principle 5: The Work Must Move Toward an Outcome

The goal is not to keep a client dependent on indefinite professional oversight.

A case should move toward a meaningful next stage such as:

A documented decision
A safer management plan
An appropriate referral
A supported placement or transition
A return-to-work or reduced-work plan
A retirement or washout decision
A future-access plan
Transfer to the correct professional or authority
Closure when continued oversight is no longer necessary

A difficult outcome may still be a responsible outcome.

The handler’s accessibility cannot erase the dog’s welfare. The dog’s welfare cannot erase the handler’s accessibility.

Responsible case oversight must remain capable of holding both realities at the same time.

When those needs conflict, the work is not to pretend the conflict does not exist. The work is to identify the conflict clearly, gather the information needed, and support a decision that does not discard either side of the partnership.

The path forward should be ethical, documented, individualized, and usable.

PREPARE THE OVERVIEW—NOT THE ENTIRE FILE

Before the Initial Consultation

You do not need to organize every record or know which pathway applies before scheduling.

The first conversation is used to understand the basic situation, identify urgent concerns, and determine whether formal intake should be offered. Begin with an overview rather than trying to submit the entire case in advance.

Be Prepared to Explain

Who you are and your relationship to the dog
Who currently owns, houses, or controls the dog
Whether an organization is involved
What happened or what has changed
The most immediate behavioral, welfare, access, or placement concern
Whether any person or animal is currently at risk
Which decisions are pending
Which professionals, organizations, or authorities are already involved
Whether a bite, injury, legal matter, ownership dispute, or dangerous-dog proceeding exists
Where you, the dog, and the relevant incident are located
What you hope professional case oversight will help accomplish

You may use ordinary language. You do not need to diagnose the dog, identify the governing law, or select the correct professional service before the conversation.

Do Not Send the Entire Case File Yet

The consultation calendar is for scheduling and basic screening information. It is not the place to upload or paste extensive sensitive records.

Do not submit through the calendar:

Complete medical or veterinary files
Detailed disability or mental-health records
Government identification
Financial or payment-account information
Unredacted legal documents
Confidential personnel records
Adoption or foster records containing unrelated personal information
Photographs showing private identifying information
Large video collections
Records you are not authorized to share
Information unrelated to the case question

If formal intake is offered, Two Dogs Diverged will identify which records are relevant and how they should be provided.

Five Questions to Consider Before We Talk

What is the most important thing happening right now?
What decision cannot be made responsibly with the information currently available?
Who has the authority to make that decision?
What professional, organization, or authority is already involved?
What would a responsible next stage look like—even if it is not the outcome you originally hoped for?

Do Not Wait for a Consultation During an Emergency

If a person or animal is in immediate danger, contact emergency services, law enforcement, animal control, an emergency veterinarian, or the appropriate local authority.

Scheduling a consultation does not create emergency monitoring or guarantee an immediate response.

Start With the Situation

Choose the existing free consultation and briefly identify that you are requesting Canine Case Management review.

DISCUSS A CASE

A consultation is the beginning of screening—not confirmation that the case has been accepted.