The past few months have brought big changes and big news for Paws for Purple Hearts San Antonio. From our participation in the 2019 San Antonio Pet Expo, to three new staff members, to being invited to the dedication of a specially adapted home for an injured Veteran, to the arrival of three puppies, the San Antonio branch of PPH has been keeping busy around the clock.

WELOME OUR NEW PROGRAM INSTRUCTORS!

Firstly, we would like to welcome our new Program Instructors: Barbara, Erica, and Jenny. All three are graduates of the prestigious Bergin College of Canine Studies where they learned how to train service dogs. During their first few weeks here, they dove head first into providing  Canine Assisted Warrior Therapy® to Veterans in need at the Audie Murphy Memorial VA Hospital polytrauma unit and at the Center for the Intrepid located on the campus of the Brooke Army Medical Center. While they are familiar with the military, they have been going through an in-depth crash course learning military lifestyle, customs, and language.

Their hard work is already paying benefits. The Canine Assisted Warrior Therapy® our Paws for Purple Hearts team provides plays a key role to help many brave Warriors along the road to recovery.  Warriors who participate in our programming greatly enjoy seeing the dogs and knowing that they are participating in something bigger than themselves. One Veteran in our program at the VA reported that working with our dogs “saved his life” in more than one way.

PUPPIES!!

Because we know that the number of Veterans who need service dogs is far greater than the number of service dogs available, Paws for Purple Hearts is ever vigilant in continuing its mission of providing life changing therapy as well as placing service dogs.

Berney (14 weeks old on arrival) and Sergeant (9 weeks old on arrival) walked into our facility for the first time last month. In just a few short weeks they have grown both physically and mentally. Berney, a yellow lab/golden cross, has already grown to a hearty 41 pounds and is going to be a big, but very muscular, girl. Sergeant, a black lab/golden cross, hasn’t grown into his ever-lengthening legs yet, but he is just as cute as can be. Riley, who just arrived yesterday, is Sergeant’s sister. She looks exactly like Sergeant and is already an expert at sitting to say please (she also likes to puff her chest out when she sits, which is super cute).

SOUNDS AWESOME! WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP?

The puppies need puppy parents! If you are available to bring one of our special service-pups-in-training (or adult service-dogs-in-training) home at night a day or two during the week or during weekends or howl-idays (get it?), please LET US KNOW! If you can’t bring another dog into your home, you can always come to our facility to volunteer to play with the dogs or to walk or bathe them.

Many supporters and dog-related companies like Kong, Nylabone, Lumabone, BarkBox, and Clearly Loved Pets have been more than generous with donations to help our pups learn and grow, but toys that challenge a dog mentally, blankets, and Kuranda beds are always needed.