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PAWS FOR PURPLE HEARTS
CANINE-ASSISTED WARRIOR THERAPY®, MISSION, VALUES, HISTORY, AND MORE
CANINE-ASSISTED WARRIOR THERAPY®
Paws for Purple Hearts is the first organization of its kind to offer Canine-Assisted Warrior Therapy® (formerly referred to as Canine Assisted Therapeutic Intervention). We began in 2006 as a research program at the prestigious Bergin College of Canine Studies together with the Menlo Park Veterans Administration Medical Center. Paws for Purple Hearts has since evolved into a separate non-profit organization operating with its own 501(c)(3) status.
Paws for Purple Hearts is the world’s only service dog organization for wounded Service Members and Veterans that partners with Bergin College of Canine Studies. Bergin College is the first and only college in the world that focuses on training and learning about dogs. It was founded and continues to be led by the famous canine researcher and inventor of the service dog concept, Dr. Bonnie Bergin.
Through its unique mission to advance human-canine studies, it produces the some of the best service dog trainers and highest quality assistance dogs. Although Paws for Purple Hearts is now separate from Bergin College, all of our trainers are Bergin graduates.
Giving Back To Those Who Gave So Much.
Giving Back To Those Who Gave So Much.
Paws for Purple Hearts improves the lives of America’s Warriors facing mobility challenges and trauma-related conditions such as PTSD and TBI by providing the highest quality Assistance Dogs and canine-assisted therapy programs; and by building public awareness about the important role dogs play in helping Warriors along the road to recovery.
Mission
OUR CORE VALUES
P.A.W.S.
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Professional
We maintain the highest standards in all we do.
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Adaptable
We innovate and create to exceed the needs of America’s Warriors.
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Warriors
Our #1 focus: America’s Veterans and Service Members.
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Service
We eagerly get the job done for internal and external customers
ABOUT BONNIE BERGIN
The distinguished Dr. Bergin has been honored with numerous awards including the prestigious Presidential Points of Light Award; Oprah Winfrey’s “Use Your Life Award”; “What Matters” HBO TV; Council on Disability Rights Individual Achievement Award; and Alumni of the Year Sonoma State University.
Dr. Bonita (Bonnie) Bergin invented the concept of the Service Dog to assist people with mobility limitations in 1975. At that time, she founded Canine Companions for Independence (CCI), the first nonprofit to train and place Service Dogs.
After leaving CCI In 1991, Dr. Bergin founded the Assistance Dog Institute, which was formally designated a university in early 2004. Today, the growing Bergin College of Canine Studies is the only college dedicated to teaching service dog trainers in the world.
“As I sat there listening to suggestions like stainless steel on the walls of institutions being a better way to manage situations for people with disabilities, and nutritious meals, which did make sense, of course.
I kept going back to ‘Why aren’t these people out of the institutions and doing things for themselves? What can we do to change that? All of a sudden, I just went Dogs! Dogs could do it. Dogs could help them.”
OUR LONG HISTORY
PPH PROGRAMS MOVE FROM PILOT TO PERMANENT
Paws for Purple Hearts is the first program of its kind to offer Canine Assisted Warrior Therapy, also known as Canine Assisted Therapeutic Intervention, to Veterans and Active-Duty Military personnel.
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“You work as a team like in the military, all progressing with the same goal in mind - to make the dogs ready to be utilized by fellow Veterans. Every week you look forward to coming here and being a part of something bigger than yourself.”
-Scott, Chief Warrant Officer 5, Marine Corps, Canine-Assisted Warrior Therapy® participant
DONATION DOLLARS AT WORK
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With a recurring gift of just $19 a month you will ensure a Service Dog has all of its vaccinations, training equipment and of course toys to get started in their life altering education.
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Intermediate
Your gift of any amount will be a tremendous help to our Service Dogs in Training. It costs $52 a month in dog food for just one dog.
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Advanced
Paws for Purple Hearts Dog are trained to the most exacting certification because our Veterans deserve the best. Thanks to donors like you, they will never have to pay forany of our services. It costs more than $35,000 to raise just one dog to this high standard.