Crisis Canines of the Midlands in Colfax is growing fast and wants to build a new training facility on County owned land southeast of the Jasper County Jail and Sheriff’s Office. Jasper County Sheriff John Halferty is President of the non-profit organization founded by Justin and Rebecca Smith in 2022. Crisis Canines of the Midlands trains, certifies, and deploys teams of Crisis Response Therapy dogs to assist first responders affected by critical incidents and mental health challenges. Sheriff Halferty told the Jasper County Board of Supervisors Tuesday that the program has attracted interest nationwide and is expanding so rapidly they are having growing pains.

“We already have two academies scheduled for next year from teams all over the nation. We have 20 to 25 teams in each academy. We are doing quarterly training. We would like to offer additional resources and classes, but we need a training center. We have a vision of what we want to build, but we need to know where that is going to be.”

Crisis Canines of the Midlands currently operates out of its original site at Justin and Rebecca Smith’s home in Colfax. Halferty asked the Jasper County Board of Supervisors to come up with a fair price for a couple of acres at the old County Care facility and Quakerdale site on the east edge of Newton. The organization wants to build a 60’ x 165’ building. Board of Supervisor Chairman Brandon Talsma suggested the County donate the needed land to the non-profit, with the stipulation the property and the building put up there go back to the County if Crises Canines of the Midlands no longer needs it. The Board of Supervisors Tuesday directed the County Attorney to work with the organization on creating the terms of an agreement.