History
Paws for Purple Hearts (PPH) started as a Bergin College of Canine Studies (BCCS) project in partnership with the Palo Alto VA clinic in Menlo Park, California in 2006. By 2011, PPH branched off Bergin College and became its own non-profit organization. Currently, there are 5 locations across the United States: Menlo Park CA, Ruther Glen VA, Fairbanks AK, San Diego CA, and San Antonio TX.
Specialties
Paws for Purple Hearts raises and train service dogs and places them with veterans and active duty service members who suffer from mobility impairments or trauma related conditions such as PTSD or TBI. We also provide a unique type of therapy at our local VAs and DOD facilities called Canine Assisted Warrior Therapy. During this therapy, our program instructors teach veterans how to train service dogs. The dogs are then placed with another veteran who struggles with the same issues that they do. All of our services are provided free of charge.