HELPING PAWS OF MINNESOTA INC

Helping Paws is fully accredited by Assistance Dogs International. Helping Paws is a Minnesota non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with 27 years of experience training, and matching service dogs to individuals with a physical disability. Having a disability is often very isolating and can make everyday tasks frustrating or impossible. Helping Paws service dogs are trained to provide assistance with many daily living activities. They also offer much-needed companionship. During the 2013-2014 fiscal year we added 20 dogs to our service dogs-in-training program, three dogs to our breeding program and matched and placed seven dogs, including two veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. In fiscal year 2014-2015, our goal is to match twelve to sixteen new teams.

Helping Paws is different from other national and local service dog programs because our services are individualized. In addition, with each team we match we need to have the resources to provide quality follow-up instruction to insure the team is a successful partnership. We approach our mission with a view to the whole life of our dogs, with follow-up from birth to the end of service. Currently, we provide this ongoing support for our 75 matched graduate teams, our 10 caretaker and 72 foster home volunteers that are breeding and training service dogs. Helping Paws has matched over 180 people with a service dog, giving people with physical disabilities the gifts of independence and companionship.