Step One: Initial Inquiry

If you are interested in a service dog, reach out to us online through the “SERVICE DOG APPLICATION REQUEST FORM” (located at the bottom of this webpage). Our team will connect with you to determine if a Paws for Purple Hearts (PPH) service dog can meet your needs.

Step Two: Complete the application

If we feel a PPH service dog may be able to meet your needs, you will be invited to complete our application.

A completed application includes the following:

1. Your photo (recent within the last year).
2. A copy of your DD 214. Do not send the original document.
3. A personal letter of reference from someone other than a family member, such as a friend, colleague, or teacher.
4. A professional letter of reference from a therapist, social worker, teacher, supervisor, or any other professional with whom you have contact.
5. A one-page letter stating your reasons for wanting a service dog and how you feel you would benefit from having a service dog.
6. Contact information for all persons providing supporting documentation (individuals writing reference letters, health care providers, and any other persons sending in documentation).
7. The completed Assistance Dog Application, which includes:
   1. Supportive Contact Form – Signed acknowledgment from family members or designated supportive contacts confirming these people are aware of your application for a service dog and support the process, the placement of a service dog, and the follow-up of the team.
   2. Mental Health Provider Consent Form – For patients with mental health diagnoses, the form allows us to communicate directly with your mental health treatment provider or treatment team. This consent is required in order for your application to be accepted.
   3. The Applicant Reference – Treatment/Service Provider Reference form identifies any other relevant health providers we may need to contact for information on your need for a service dog.
   4. The Applicant Medical History form*  must be completed by your physician/primary care specialist/mental health provider.

   *For applicants diagnosed with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), the medical history form must be filled out by the professional overseeing your mental health treatment plan. If you are seeking a service dog for PTSD or TBI and mobility impairment, please have both your physician and your mental health provider fill out separate medical history forms.

To send your application:

Step Three: Preliminary Acceptance and Additional Paperwork

After a successful application review by our staff (including our Clinical Consultant), the next steps in the process begin as we send you six social style forms (to be completed by people you select), a preliminary interview form, a request for photos & videos of your home and work (if applicable), request for more information on any household pets, as well as any additional documentation needed from you or your Provider.

Step Four: Interview and Follow-Up

After we receive all additional forms, we will contact you to schedule an interview. If you are unable to travel to one of our sites for the in-person interview, we will arrange to conduct the interview via video conference. After the interview, we conduct further follow-ups with providers and family members.

Step Five: Final Acceptance

After the interview, we will notify you if you are selected for a service dog placement. If selected, you will be placed on the waitlist*. It may take two years or more to match you with a dog due to the high demand for service dogs and the necessity of matching each dog carefully to the personality and needs of each client. We strongly recommend that you apply to other service dog organizations, so that you have a greater chance of being matched with a dog as soon as possible. Please see the Assistance Dogs International website for a list of programs throughout the country placing service dogs.

*Note: there will be routine follow-ups with staff to update the application after acceptance to the waitlist in order to keep all information up to date.

Step Six: Dog Match

Once a potential service dog match has been identified, you will be invited to attend the two-week Service Dog Team Training course held on-site at a Paws for Purple Hearts Facility. At this time, we will conduct a home visit too. Our service dogs and training are provided free of charge; however, other expenses you may need to plan for include: transportation, housing, food, and entertainment expenses while attending the training course.

Ongoing Support

After successful completion of the Team Training course, you will graduate with your dog and will be responsible for the ongoing costs of caring for your new partner, which may include, but are not limited to: food, grooming, toys, other supplies, annual veterinary exam, vaccinations, and other incidental expenses.

Once a dog is placed with you, we provide ongoing support for the remainder of the working partnership.  We work in partnership with you to support the dog’s health, behavior, temperament, and training through written, phone, video, and in-person follow-up.  We have a staff member dedicated to client services available to communicate with you whenever you need advice, and we are ready to deploy our local professional trainers to consult with you and support your needs on an ongoing basis.

At a minimum, we proactively reach out for regular follow-up each month for the first nine months of placement, and then annually thereafter. We do require in-person visits post-graduation, which is the financial responsibility of the client. In addition, we are proud to offer our clients the opportunity to become full owners of their dog, depending on the specifics of each case.  We also know that when a dog approaches retirement, it can be an uncertain and stressful time for our clients, so we give priority to our existing clients who seek a successor dog when their dog approaches retirement.