More Dogs, More Impact

Our Breeding Program Expansion Strategy

The power of an assistance dog is undeniable. Every day at Helping Paws, we see lives changed and lives saved because a service dog was placed with an individual or a community who truly needed them. Our only fault is not being able to train enough dogs to meet the needs of all who desire and qualify to receive one. But, we can meet the need with your support. This is why we have launched More Dogs! More Impact – The Helping Paws Breeding Program Expansion!

To meet the growing demand, Helping Paws has an ambitious plan to expand our Breeding Program from 6 to 15 dogs. This will double our breeding program and ultimately quadruple the number of individuals matched with a service dog each year. With this expansion, Helping Paws anticipates placing four times the number of dogs with graduates, significantly increasing our impact on the community.
To kick off our public campaign, the KAHR Foundation gave an additional $100,000 challenge match. To unlock the match, we must raise $100,000 in community giving between May 5 and December 31, 2024. Additional funds raised over $650,000 will allow us to replenish reserves and save for future capital endeavors that would further enhance our impact.

 

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Our New Home


The vision began when Helping Paws invested over $200,000 from our strategic reserves to increase of the square footage the training facility by 3,000 square feet in preparation for the program expansion. Construction and remodeling began in January 2024 and was completed in March 2024. After a successful move and unpacking in April 2024, classes resumed at our new facility.

On May 5, 2024, we hosted a grand opening that saw hundreds of our community members celebrating the life-changing assistance dogs we provide.  Eden Prairie Mayor, Ron Case, even declared Helping Paws Day in Eden Prairie!As we stand at the threshold of this new chapter, we are filled with gratitude for the unwavering support of our community and are eager to witness the impact our breeding program expansion will have. 

 

Breeding Program Numbers


The need for Helping Paws assistance dogs is pressing. We currently have a 3-year waitlist for new applicants eagerly waiting to receive the life-changing gift of a service dog. 

To meet the growing demand, Helping Paws has an ambitious plan to expand our Breeding Program from 6 to 15 dogs. This will double our breeding program and ultimately quadruple the number of individuals matched with a service dog each year

The new breeding and training costs (over $650,000 across 3 years) are in addition to our annual budget and will need to be maintained once we achieve our current expansion goal.