Impact and Programs
Accomplishments
26 puppies were born to our breeding program, 51 assistance dogs in training, 14 dogs placed, 97 assistant graduate teams supported
Current Goals
Introducing Four Paws Forward A new chapter in training, partnerships, and service dog success Helping Paws is proud to announce Four Paws Forward—a forward-thinking campaign built to strengthen the future of our assistance dog program through innovation, science, and expanded community engagement. This initiative represents a key evolution in our mission to enhance independence and quality of life for individuals with physical disabilities, veterans, and first responders with PTSD, and facility partners across healthcare, education, and justice systems. To address the rising demand and a three-year waitlist for our assistance dogs, we’ve designed Four Paws Forward around four interconnected goals: 1. Strengthening Service Dogs From the Start Backed by research from Duke University’s Canine Cognition Center, we’re investing in early puppy development to improve training outcomes and graduation rates. At the heart of this effort is our new Herman Puppy Enrichment Center (HPEC)—the first facility of its kind in Minnesota. 2. Expanding Volunteer Opportunities With Host Homes We understand that not everyone can commit to two years of service dog training. That’s why we’re launching a new Host Home volunteer role—designed for those who want to make an impact but need more flexibility. 3. Transportation That Brings Us Together Consistency is critical to successful training, and thanks to our new custom transport van, we can now bring dogs from Host Homes across the region to our Eden Prairie training center more reliably than ever. 4. Supporting Our Graduates, Long After Graduation Our commitment to service dog teams doesn’t end at placement. As part of Four Paws Forward, we’re deepening our support of Graduate Partnerships by opening new community-centered resources at our Eden Prairie facility:
Community or Constituency Served
People with physical disabilities, Veterans and First Responders with Service PTSD, Courthouses, Schools, Fire and police stations
Geographic Area Served
Greater MN and surrounding states within a four-hour drive
