(PRESS RELEASE) FAIRBANKS, AK – Paws for Purple Hearts (PPH) Alaska hosts its first Service Dog Graduation Ceremony on Saturday, December 16. PPH provides Warrior Canine Therapy (WCT) to Veterans and Service Members by involving those with PTSD or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in the training of service dogs for their comrades with disabilities. Once trained, the service dogs are placed with Warriors to assist with disabilities including PTSD, TBI and mobility impairment at no charge.
Before placement, the PPH dog and Warrior undergo an intensive 2-week Client Training, a highly structured program involving a great deal of focus, determination and dedication. During Client Training, the Warriors are introduced to the service dogs and provided with the knowledge and experience necessary to ensure a successful and healthy service dog/handler relationship, forging a lifelong partnership that will dramatically improve quality of life for the Warriors, their families, friends and communities.
“I would like to thank the Fairbanks community for all the support they’ve given PPH in the short time we’ve been in Fairbanks. I’m very pleased with our staff, participants, and our top-notch dogs Ann, Buck, Russell, and Judy, who have all come together to make our first two-week client training a success,” Nathan Collin, PPH’s Northwest Regional Director, headquartered in Fairbanks, Alaska.
The Paws for Purple Hearts Service Dog Graduation Ceremony will be held at in Fairbanks at 3304 International Street, Unit A on Saturday, December 16 from 2:30-5:00pm and is open to the public and media. All guests will enjoy refreshments, speeches from community members, program participants, and PPH representatives, and service dog demonstrations. See more information on PPH Alaska’s Facebook page linked here.
Service Members and Veterans are involved in every aspect of service dog training, from puppy petting to task training to public outings. Once trained, the service dogs are provided to Veterans with disabilities including PTSD, TBI, and Mobility Impairment. All our services are complimentary to Service Members, Veterans, and their families. Paws for Purple Hearts is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that relies on volunteer and donor support.