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.
-
Professional
We maintain the highest standards in all we do.
-
Adaptable
We innovate and create to exceed the needs of America’s Warriors.
-
Warriors
Our #1 focus: America’s Veterans and Service Members.
-
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.
-
![]()
2006
Founding at the Bergin College of Canine Studies
Bergin College of Canine Studies Program Being the only university of its kind in the world and renowned for their innovations of the Service & Assistance Dog Industry, the Bergin College of Canine Studies marked another milestone. Paws for Purple Hearts is conceived with the unique approach of having the Veterans participate in the training of future service dogs for themselves and fellow Service Members. The proof-of-concept is a resounding success with the Veteran community.
-
![]()
2008
Canine Intervention Therapy Pilot Program
The Canine Intervention Therapy pilot program is rolled out at Veterans Administration’s Palo Alto Health Care System, in Menlo Park, California. Patients immediately respond to idea of instructing the dogs as a form of therapy for themselves and report feeling a greater sense of purpose knowing they have a new mission that will help a comrade-in-arms when the dogs training is complete.
-
![]()
2009
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington D. C.
2009 – With continued success, Paws for Purple Hearts expanded to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in our nation’s capital, Washington, DC. The Patient Service-Dog Training Program was now garnering the attention of the Pentagon and political leadership of the country.
-
![]()
2010
National Intrepid Center of Excellence
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) research and treatment mission begins at the newly-formed National Intrepid Center of Excellence, in Bethesda, MD where Paws for Purples Hearts provided a unique opportunity that demonstrated the effective use of Canine Therapeutic Intervention Therapy programs in treating PTSD and TBI.
-
![]()
2011
PPH as a 501(c)3
Having grown from its humble begins just five years earlier at the Bergin College of Canine Studies, Paws for Purple Hearts establishes as itself as an independent non-profit recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) entity.
-
![]()
2013
First PPH Training Boot Camp
Paws for Purple Hearts launches its First Training Boot Camp conducted to pair service dogs with impaired Warriors through a rigorous matching process. Veterans are given a comprehensive two-week training course on proper handling and commands of their new “Battle Buddy” service dog who will assist the Veteran to integrate back into society successfully.
-
![]()
2014
PAWS Research Project Final Report
PAWS Research Project Final Report conducted by Kaiser Permanente and Dr. Bonnie Bergin is completed; it concluded that Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms and depression-related functioning are lower among those PTSD patients with dogs than those without. PTSD patients with service dogs had better overall mental health, less substance abuse, and rated their interpersonal relationships better than those without service dogs.
-
![]()
2015
Fredericksburg, VA
Paws for Purple Hearts opens a new facility in Northern Virginia to service the National Capital Region and Richmond areas. Being close to Fredericksburg, VA the converted warehouse expands the number of Veterans that can be helped in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
-
![]()
2015
New Paws For Purple Hearts Center opens in Fairbanks, AK near FT Wainwright
2015 - Paws for Purple Hearts establishes operations in Fairbanks, Alaska. The new center is located in one of the highest Veteran populations in the United States and near Fort Wainwright Army Base and Eielson Air Force Base.
-
![]()
2016
Two new PPH Centers open
Paws for Purple Hearts expands to Veteran friendly San Antonio, Texas and San Diego, California. We begin serving the more than half-million active duty and Veterans in the combined area.
“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
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.