Helping Paws of Minnesota, Inc.

Giving the gift of independence since 1988, Helping Paws has been training and placing service dogs with persons with physical disabilities. These "dogs in the blue coats" are hard-working and loving companions that allow their human partners to live more independent lives and to achieve an enhanced quality of life. By helping with many daily living tasks, these dogs help to promote self confidence and renew self-esteem for their partners.

Each service dog is bred, trained and placed by Helping Paws. Volunteer foster families take puppies into their homes and hearts for two years, during which time they oversee their training and development into successful service dogs. In the past year alone, volunteers donated approximately 48,000 hours to Helping Paws' programs and services. When the training is completed, the dogs are then carefully matched to a partner with a physical disability.

Although the cost equivalent for breeding, raising and training each dog is more than $15,000, the dogs are provided to each applicant at no charge - there is only a minimal application and equipment fee. 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.

What our graduates say:

"I am indebted to Helping Paws for the independence my new companion brings me. It's a lot easier with Tonka. He's really my best friend."

"This is the first time in twenty-three years that I don't have to rely on another human being to open a door for me. I have independence."

"She's like my other half. I've been able to get my driver's license, I have more self confidence to go places, and having Rue, I'm not afraid to drop my keys and be stuck somewhere. She can pick up a dime if I needed her to."

What our donors say:

"Helping Paws is a great, great organization. When you look at charitable organizations, Helping Paws stands apart. It has one of the highest use of donated funds that goes towards helping people as opposed to administration."

"When Helping Paws helps someone it changes their life. It is for a long period of time and it makes a big, big impact."

"I know that Helping Paws will use my donation to directly serve people with physical disabilities. Their stability and fiscal responsibility as an organization is especially important to me during these challenging economic times."