When it comes to saving lives, we often think of medical professionals. It turns out, our furry friends have healing powers of their own.
Volunteers with Helping Paws, are selling brats, burgers, and car wash deals, raising money for first responders, people with physical disabilities and veterans with PTSD.
Executive director, Alyssa Golob, says the fundraiser is also an awareness campaign. "We're telling people what Helping Paws does. [The] facility dogs that we have at the St Paul fire department or traumatic brain injury clinics, county sheriff's offices and so on."
Helping Paws which places 15 dogs a year, says all proceeds will provide continued training, expanding the nonprofit.
Helping Paws is also accepting volunteers who can make a tail wagging difference in someone’s life. Mary Teigan is a foster home trainer with the organization.
She says future volunteers should be prepared to cover veterinarian bills and pet food for the golden retrievers and labs.
While Helping Paws chips in by providing training sessions, including a weekly night class, there is one responsibility that is perhaps the toughest part of training the service dogs. After two years, trainers send the dogs to their new homes.
"It is more heart warming than heart wrenching, but you do cry when you see the difference they make in people's lives," said Tiegan fighting back tears.
Golob, the executive director, says a volunteer shared a resilient statement, that has helped foster home trainers, adjust and move on to train other dogs.
"I want the dog and they need the dog."
Click here to get involved with Helping Paws.