PPH NORTHWEST REGION

SERVICE AREA: ALASKA, WASHINGTON, OREGON, IDAHO, MONTANA, AND WYOMING

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

HEADQUARTERS: ANCHORAGE, AK

Phone

(907) 782-4473

Hours

M-F 9am to 5pm

Location

 1657 E Dowling Rd

       Anchorage,  Alaska. 99507

 

Serving the State of Alaska Since 2015.

The Paws for Purple Hearts (PPH) Northwest Region team is based in a unique location in Anchorage, Alaska. Home to over 70,000 Veterans and approximately 20,000 active duty Service Members, Alaska has more Veterans per capita than any other state and comprises a significant population of potential service dog recipients and canine-assisted therapy participants. The Anchorage area is home to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (aka “JBER”) which was formed in 2010 through the merger of Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson.

Beyond Alaska, we support and assist dog recipients throughout our PPH Northwest region serving Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. This allows us to ensure a successful lifelong partnership when we provide a service dog, facility dog or specialist therapy dog.

TIMELINE

  • 2016 Started canine-assisted therapeutic intervention programs; Opened dedicated facility in Fairbanks

  • 2017 Started canine-assisted therapy program at the Mission; Started canine-assisted therapy program at Fairbanks Correctional Center; First Northwest Region Service Dog Graduation

  • 2018 Started Canine-Assisted Therapy® in Anchorage.

  • 2019 Relocated operations to Anchorage

  • 2021 Opened new facility in Anchorage

We’ve been in operation serving Alaska’s Warriors since 2015. In 2016 we opened a facility in Fairbanks. In 2019, we relocated to Anchorage. It is an honor and a privilege to provide our Canine-Assisted Warrior Therapy® to our beloved Warriors. Our innovative therapy programs reach Veterans and Active Duty Service Members at the Chris Kyle Patriots Hospital and the VA Domiciliary in Anchorage. More programs are in development. Stay tuned for more exciting updates!

To volunteer at our Anchorage, AK site, click the button and fill out the volunteer application.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Click on a photo in the calendar to see details of that event.

You can also visit our Amazon Wishlist to purchase a needed product like these.

Choose Paws for Purple Hearts Alaska's Gift Registry Address in the list of shipping addresses when checking out.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

SEE PICTURES OF THE IMPORTANT WORK (AND ADVENTUROUS LIVES)

OF OUR ANCHORAGE SERVICE-DOGS-IN-TRAINING

#pphVanguard sports his Service Dog in Training vest with pride. Before we know it, he'll grow into an adult Service Dog vest and be matched with a Warrior! #pph #pawsforpurplehearts #sanantonio #nonprofit #servicedoglife #assistancedog #sdit #dogsw
Ullrich demonstrates the power of social therapy during a recent visit to MCCS Miramar. These soothing sessions with our Service Dogs and Service Dogs in Training bring Warriors a sense of ease and relief. #pphUllrich #mccsmiramar #pawsforpurplehear
It's official: Nemo, Orion, and Phyllis have graduated! The three Service Dogs are pictured with their Warriors, alongside some of our dedicated trainers and staff members, at our Ruther Glen site in Virginia. Congratulations to our newest Service Do
#pphAero loves road trips up to our national office in Canyonville, Oregon.🐾 With a beautiful creek for playtime, lots of space to run, and great people, it is always a good time! #pawsforpurplehearts #pph #servicedog #nonprofit #servicedogintraini
Happy Veterans Day! Today, and every day, it is our goal to make sure that our nation's Warriors feel honored. We are grateful for the sacrifices and bravery of both our active duty military members and U.S. Veterans. Thank you for your service. 🇺🇸
Happy 249th birthday to the United States Marine Corps! Thank you for everything that you do. #usmc #happybirthday #usmarines #celebrate #usmarinecorps #pph #pawsforpurplehearts #nonprofit #servicedogsforveterans #activeduty #servicedogs4vets #Unit
Ullrich is pictured practicing the "lap" command with his new friend during a Canine Assisted Warrior Therapy® (CAWT) session. 🐾 Commands that support our Warriors experiencing PTSD and other trauma-related conditions, such as "
In exactly one week, our Alaska site will be hosting their open house ⭐️ Packed with opportunities to meet our Service Dogs in Training, participate in a silent auction (and potentially win!), and enjoy yummy snacks and drink provided by @zip_kombuc
Labradors and pumpkins and ghosts, oh my! 🎃 #pphUrban, #pphVirginia, #pphOlivia, and our trainer Andrew sure know how to celebrate the occasion. #pawsforpurplehearts #pph #nonprofit #servicedogintraining #servicedoglife #servicedogsforveterans #ha
Uhler got to board the USS Michael Monsoor and provide social therapy! He (and his handler) had a great time. #pphUhler #pawsforpurplehearts #pph #nonprofit #ussmichaelmonsoor #socialtherapy #servicedogsforveterans #servicedogs4vets #warriorshelping
#pphPeter hanging out with the crew of the USS Somerset LPD-25! #pawsforpurplehearts #usssomerset #usssomersetlpd25 #pph #nonprofit #servicedoglife #servicedogintraining #sdit #servicedogsforveterans #servicedogs4vets #pphbayarea #warriorshelpingwar

To contact our Anchorage, AK site fill out the form.

TESTIMONIAS AND QUOTES

  • “When I was working with Paul (dog), I stayed calm and was less irritable and more focused and open to treatment at Menlo Park VA.” -

    -Kawika

  • “The dog Leif helped me with my self-esteem. People noticed a difference in when I had her and I’m grateful to Sandra for letting me be a part of this training.”

    -Tim

  • “I looked at this program as a privilege and honor to be a small part of a dog’s life and knowing I was helping a fellow Vet.”

    -Frank

  • “Many of our Veterans report that the dogs help them ‘get out of their own head’ and be more present.”

    -Caroline Wyman

  • “These dogs can really sense your mood. They know when you’re having a bad day. They give you companionship without judgment. Ibarra (dog) doesn’t need to know why I have the symptoms I have. He just wants to be with me.”

    -John Crofut

  • “The Paws for Purple Hearts program gave me a renewed sense of purpose. I was “giving back” and helping another Vet who was not expecting anything in return. It helped me with anger, self-esteem and survival guilt.”

    -John

  • “The program gave me a sense of responsibility and helped me lower my isolation.”

    -Dennis

  • “The comfort of the service dogs distracts from negative thoughts.”

    -Nick

  • “The training helps me lower my stress level and blood pressure. The comfort I get from the dogs far out weighs the thoughts of suicide. Not one negative thought has entered by mind since I started training with the dogs.”

    -John

  • “Working with the dogs gives me peace of mind and helps me control my anxiety issues so I can lead a more productive life.”

    -Monty

  • “Learning to be more patient and understanding. How dogs think helps me improve on trying to understand others.”

    -Jeff

  • Our PPH facility dog's impact has been substantial. The fact of the matter is that he boosts moral for the employees, keeps us sane, and the clients love working with him.

    -Mental Health Employee

  • There's only one word for my PPH dog Ollie: Priceless!

    -Rob S, a PPH Service Dog Recipient

  • PPH was the best therapy for my husband and it brought him closer to me and our daughter.

    -Wife of a PPH Participant

  • Ethan, a PPH dog, showed me there is love and happiness, outside of grief and despair.

    -A PPH Warrior Canine Trainer

  • Webb was so much help to me while I was recovering in the VA Menlo Park.... When both King and Webb came to visit, I was in heaven as I have two Bernese Mountain dogs that I hadn't seen in weeks.

    -Bill Dable

  • One of my treatment goals was to get better sleep. Having Lief let me feel safe, and I started sleeping better. She actually woke me from a nightmare, too... My anxiety level went down. I was not so hyper-vigilant when I had her.

    -Tim

  • The program helps not only the Veteran who receives the dog as theirs, but it also helps our healing process while we train them.

    -A PPH Veteran-trainer

ELIGIBILITY

Service Dogs

We place service dogs with Service Members and Veterans facing challenges such as:

– Mobility issues. Our dogs can help with tasks such as: retrieving items, pushing buttons for elevators and doors, turning lights on/off, plus many more.

– Diagnosed trauma-related conditions (PTSD or TBI). Our dogs help by performing a variety of tasks specifically designed to reduce symptom severity.

Through our thorough application process, our qualified staff determines if a PPH service dog will be a fit for your specific needs.

Facility Dogs

Facility dogs are placed with managers who work in care facilities that serve Service Members, Veterans, and/or military families. They are also placed with counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, occupational therapists (and other specialists) who serve military-connected individuals and wish to integrate a dog into their clients’ treatment plans. Facility dogs provide invaluable benefits to the populations they serve, but they do not meet the legal definition of a service dog and do not have public access rights outside of their assigned facility. Facilities must serve at least 50% of military-connected individuals to qualify. 

Our History

Paws for Purple Hearts is the first program of its kind to offer therapeutic intervention for Veterans and Active-Duty Military.

Canine-Assisted Warrior Therapy®

Under the guidance of PPH instructors, service members engage with specially bred Golden Retriever and Labrador puppies.

How the Program Works

Read more about how Canine-Assisted Warrior Therapy® helps ease a Warrior’s symptom severity through assisting PPH trainers with soothing, light-hearted contact with PPH puppies and dogs.

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT.

Donations to Paws for Purple Hearts can change a Warrior’s life from hopelessness to optimism.

Your generous, tax-deductible donation helps thousands of Warriors facing the visible and invisible wounds of war.  Our Canine Assisted Warrior Therapy helps them heal as they help others – all with the goal of raising top tier service dogs for Veterans and active duty Service Members with mobility and trauma challenges.