Golden PAWS Assistance Dogs serves many in need. We place a strong emphasis on giving back to the community that supports us.
Our mission helps improve the quality of life and enhance independence for our recipients. Learn how you can support our mission.
Our volunteers are at the core of our Golden PAWS Community. The gift of your time and talents can help us to change someone's life.
Hear from recipients of Golden PAWS Assistance Dogs on how our mission and our work provide life-changing benefits to those we serve.
This unique project is inspired by and in recognition of Military Veterans, Law Enforcement Officers, and First Responders who have served our great nation with honor, courage and distinction.
Before a Golden PAWS dog leaves our academy to fulfill its ultimate mission of service to a veteran or child, he or she touches many more lives and leaves a legacy of impact on the community.
Our training methodology and philosophy is a unique feature of the Golden PAWS training program that places every canine cadet in several different canine-assisted therapy assignments throughout the training journey.
These activities, designed to serve at-risk children and adults in Collier and Lee Counties in need, promote healing, while building the dog’s skill set and emotional intelligence in real-life service experience.
Everywhere a Golden PAWS dog goes, they make a significant impact on countless people in our community through compassionate canine support. As part of our mission, we host several acclaimed community service programs that are at the heart of our ongoing commitment to giving back to the Southwest Florida Community.
CLEPP brings at-risk children and dogs together in our schools and libraries to promote literacy skills while providing character and citizenship educational programs.
Our target audience is children ages 4 – 12 who are in educationally disadvantaged situations. These children, often faced with low self-esteem, lack of confidence, and social skills, shine under the loving guidance of our dogs and highly trained handlers.
GPACT consists of highly trained canine teams ready to mobilize on short notice to provide hope, healing and recovery in crisis situations where grief, PTSD and anxiety are widespread. Our teams are deployed to work side by side with skilled therapists and trained professionals.
Our SOAR program is geared specifically toward Golden PAWS veteran recipients who require extra support. Within a caring and supportive framework, our veterans are encouraged to begin to participate in our community related enrichment activities.
The SOAR program also has a dedicated fund to offer financial support to our veterans with emergent special needs.
The Heroes Fund is a critical need program that supports our recipients and their dogs.
Our recipients should never have to worry about financial constraints to meet their ever evolving needs.
This unique fund delivers peace of mind to meet the multi level needs for complex nutritional support and the exceptional veterinary needs of their canine partners. The fund also assists in meeting any emergent, life altering need for our recipients and their families.
Proceeds from our SOAR fund ensure that Golden PAWS Assistance Dogs is able to serve our teams for a lifetime, while also ensuring the well being of those we serve.
One of our newest programs, the Golden PAWS Teen Champion Program, welcomes teens ages 14 – 17 into our training center where they are partnered with mentors who lead them through a multitude of opportunities directed to enhance their sense of community and service, develop unique skills and explore the exciting and complex world of service dog training.
We place a strong emphasis on giving back to the community that supports us. Your financial support is critical to help us deliver these critical services.