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Meet A Helping Hero — Service Dogs that Help Veterans

 In Events, Service Dog Training

It is important to support charities that help America’s Warriors.  It is also important to support charities that help animals.  Great news!  Paws for Purple Hearts helps both Warriors AND animals!

Paws for Purple Hearts (PPH) helps America’s Warriors each day by providing the highest quality service dogs and canine assisted therapeutic programs to help overcome mobility challenges and trauma related conditions such as Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

Petco Foundation

Recently, we here at Paws for Purple Hearts received a much-appreciated shout out from The Petco Foundation.  The Foundation showed their commitment to help both Warriors AND animals recently by holding a “Meet A Helping Hero” event.  Paws for Purple Hearts was honored to be featured prominently.  The event gave the public an opportunity to learn more about the transformative positive impact that therapy, service and/or working animals have on peoples’ lives every day.

Since the Petco Foundation has been supporting Warriors and animals, this poses the question: who is the hero in the ‘Meet A Helping Hero’ of this event? To quote comedian Mitch Hedberg, “my belt holds my pants up, but the belt loops hold my belt up. I don’t really know what’s happening down there. Who is the real hero?

The answer: For our organization it is both the Warriors AND the service dogs that are the heroes. This is one of the reasons for our Warriors Helping Warriors® motto. Our service dogs in training are considered ‘Battle Buddies’ and are Warriors in their own way. The motto also comes from Active Duty Service Members and Veterans doing what they do best—not leaving one of their own behind. This is why our Canine Assisted Warrior Therapy ® is such a success.

Put simply, Canine Assisted Warrior Therapy involves Warriors with PTSD or TBI helping to train a service dog as part of their therapy plan while also helping another Warrior in need by training a service dog that will eventually be placed permanently with another Warrior. After all, the need to serve is built into a Warrior, just as it is in each of our top-of-the-line service canines.

Service dogs in training, volunteers, and PPH employees enjoy the Meet A Helping Hero event in San Antonio, Texas
Service dogs in training, volunteers, and PPH employees enjoy the Meet A Helping Hero event in San Antonio, Texas Service Dogs in Trainings from left to right: Rusty, Sergeant, Riley, and Berney Humans in the back from left to right: Erica and Ketcher Humans in the front from left to right: Rosalyn, Jenny and Barbara

Thank You

Thank you to The Petco Foundation for giving the general public a chance to learn all about these programs and how they work. Thanks to the Meet A Helping Hero Event; and thank you to all those that serve.

Interested in serving those who served?

Help by becoming a volunteer

Our volunteers are the heart within the heart. From walking dogs, to helping at events such as the First Friday, to even becoming a puppy parent – we couldn’t do it without them!

Help by donating

More than 95% of PPH fundraising money comes from patriots like you being moved by PPH’s mission. Please consider donating to help meet the goal of having a facility within two-hours driving distance to more than 80% of the Veteran population. Your contribution large or small makes a difference in the lives of Veterans.

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