PPH SOUTHEAST REGION

SERVING WASHINGTON, DC, MARYLAND, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA, NORTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA, KENTUCKY, TENNESSEE, GEORGIA, ALABAMA, MISSISSIPPI, AND FLORIDA

RUTHER GLEN, VIRGINIA

RUTHER GLEN, VA

Phone

(804) 589-0077

Hours

M-F 9am to 5pm

Location

7404 Commerce Way, Unit D, Ruther Glen, Virginia 22546

 

Serving Warriors throughout Virginia, Maryland, and DC since 2015.

People walking dogs in a parade holding flags and banners, with a large crowd watching on the street.

The Southeast Region team is headquartered in Virginia, which is home to over 700,000 veterans. Nestled between Richmond, Virginia and Washington, D.C, our Ruther Glen, Virginia based operation has been serving Warriors throughout Virginia, Maryland and DC since 2015.

Our programs center on our unique Canine-Assisted Warrior Therapy®, which reduces the symptoms of PTSD and TBI through structured, positive interaction with our service dogs in training.  We provided this life-changing therapy to Veterans from the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Hospital in Richmond, Virginia and to Veterans in the Hampton VA Medical Center.  We also visit several private Veteran service organization facilities in the area where our Service Dogs-In-Training provide social therapy to Warriors on the road to recovery. 

Beyond Virginia, our region serves our nation’s Warriors in Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida. 

A brown dog with a blue collar and purple harness sitting on sidewalk in front of a large bronze statue of a horse and jockey. The statue is located outside a building with a sign reading 'Reynolds Family Plaza Randolph-Macon College.' Gray cloudy sky overhead.

TIMELINE

  • 2022: #pphHicks was placed a Service Dog with a Veteran in Richmond, VA. and #pphAntje was placed as a Facility Dog at the Biddle Air National Guard Base.

  • 2021: #pphScout was placed a Service Dog and #pphDelta was placed as PPH’s First Ambassador Dog.

  • 2020: During the COVID pandemic, the Virginia Team conducted virtual CAWT sessions with groups from the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center. In June, the team safely transitioned back to in-person session. In June, #pphElma was also placed as a Specialist Therapy Dog in Alaska.

  • 2019: The Virginia facility expanded again, adding an extra training room. In December of 2019, #pphBuck and #pphAutumn were placed as Service Dogs with deserving Warriors.

  • 2018: The Virginia facility expanded to include a new puppy area and additional adult kennel runs. Social Therapy and CAWT being at Fort Belvoir. Social Therapy also began at the Hampton VA Medical Center. In February of 2018 #pphPatsy was placed as a Facility Dog in Texas.

  • 2017: The Virginia Team began Canine-Assisted Warrior Therapy® sessions with groups from the Prince George’s County Vet Center and the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center.

  • 2015: The Virginia facility opened and started conducting social therapy visits at Poplar Springs Military Hospital.

To volunteer at our Ruther Glen, VA site, click the button and fill out the volunteer application.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Click on a photo in the calendar to see details of that event.

You can also visit our Amazon Wishlist to purchase a needed product like these:

Choose Paws for Purple Hearts Virginia's Gift Registry Address in the list of shipping addresses when checking out.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

SEE PICTURES OF THE IMPORTANT WORK (AND ADVENTUROUS LIVES)

OF OUR RUTHER GLEN SERVICE-DOGS-IN-TRAINING

Thank you so much again to the @wilkowmajority for once again having Paws For Purple Hearts speak on your Veterans Day broadcast! Thank you so much for your commitment to our Veterans, and for helping us spread the word about Paws for Purple Hearts!
Happy Veterans Day from all of us here at Paws For Purple Hearts Virginia! Today we honor all our Warriors who have bravely served for our country. Service Dogs in Training, Unruh, Pike, Nyx, Tomberg, and Noble are training hard to give back to thos
Happy Birthday, Marine Corps! For 249 years since their start at Tun Tavern during the Revolutionary War, our Marines have been improvising, adapting, and overcoming all obstacles in all situations. Semper Fidelis! #PawsForPurpleHearts #PPHSE #Mar
Paws for Purple Hearts will be on The @wilkowmajority's Veterans Day Tribute this Monday! Tune in on Channel 125 on Sirius XM and Sirius XM Patriot to hear all about how Paws For Purple Hearts helps our Warriors! #VeteransDay2024 #PPHSE #Veteran #M
Service Dogs in Training, Nyx, Noble, and Pike, hope your Halloween is a scream! These wonderful pups have been doing lots of training around Halloween decorations, getting them used to all sorts of novel sights and sounds so they will be comfortabl
Thank you so much again to @virginianaturalgas for your generous donation to Paws For Purple Hearts! Virginia Natural Gas is a V3 (Virginia Values Veterans) certified company. Thank you so much for supporting our mission of helping America's Warriors
Ambassador Dog Scotty is catching up on some work on the new Dell Laptop given to us from the @uncommongritfoundation! The Uncommon Grit Foundation supports our Military and First Responders. Their donated laptop will be used in our Canine Assisted
Thank you once again to @reynoldscommunitycollege Military Service Dept. for having us visit for Make A Dog's Day! Service Dog in Training, Noble loved meeting all the staff and students on your beautiful campus! Thank you for giving Noble love and
Our Service Dog Graduation Auction is now Live!! Open through Sunday, October 20th, bid on wonderful items from our gracious donors at: The International Spy Museum, Harbor Freight, Wines For Humanity, Benny's Pizza, Oriental Trading, Mission BBQ,

OUR PARTNERS

  • Close-up of an older black Labrador Retriever wearing a purple bandana that reads "Paws for Purple Hearts, Soldiers Helping Warriors, Ambassador Dog Scout," sitting on a paved outdoor area with people and another dog in the background.

    Richmond VA Medical Center

    We provide Canine-Assisted Warrior Therapy® sessions to several groups of Veterans participants at our facility in partnership with VA staff. We conduct social therapy sessions with veterans in an inpatient mental health unit to help reduce stress and promote healing.

  • A yellow Labrador Retriever in training wearing a blue vest with the Department of Public Safety and Police Department logo, sitting against a purple wall.

    Hampton VA Medical Center

    We conduct social therapy with Veterans living in the center and in hospice to reduce stress and provide comfort to those in end of life care.

  • Three dogs sitting in front of a purple wall with a white outline of Virginia and the text Virginia. The dog on the left is a tan-colored Labrador Retriever mix with long ears and a white bandana with a red and blue pattern. The middle dog is a white Labrador Retriever with a pink bandana with black designs. The dog on the right is a black Labrador Retriever with a white bandana with cartoon faces and red hearts.

    Virginia Peninsula Community College Veteran Service Center

    We provide social therapy to students at the Virginia Peninsula Community College’s Veteran Service Center. Visiting with our pups can be a great way for students to destress! Read about our impact here.

To contact our Ruther Glen, VA site fill out the form.

TESTIMONIALS AND QUOTES

  • “When I was working with Paul (dog), I stayed calm and was less irritable and more focused and open to treatment at Menlo Park VA.” -

    -Kawika

  • “The dog Leif helped me with my self-esteem. People noticed a difference in when I had her and I’m grateful to Sandra for letting me be a part of this training.”

    -Tim

  • “I looked at this program as a privilege and honor to be a small part of a dog’s life and knowing I was helping a fellow Vet.”

    -Frank

  • “Many of our Veterans report that the dogs help them ‘get out of their own head’ and be more present.”

    -Caroline Wyman

  • “These dogs can really sense your mood. They know when you’re having a bad day. They give you companionship without judgment. Ibarra (dog) doesn’t need to know why I have the symptoms I have. He just wants to be with me.”

    -John Crofut

  • “The Paws for Purple Hearts program gave me a renewed sense of purpose. I was “giving back” and helping another Vet who was not expecting anything in return. It helped me with anger, self-esteem and survival guilt.”

    -John

  • “The program gave me a sense of responsibility and helped me lower my isolation.”

    -Dennis

  • “The comfort of the service dogs distracts from negative thoughts.”

    -Nick

  • “The training helps me lower my stress level and blood pressure. The comfort I get from the dogs far out weighs the thoughts of suicide. Not one negative thought has entered by mind since I started training with the dogs.”

    -John

  • “Working with the dogs gives me peace of mind and helps me control my anxiety issues so I can lead a more productive life.”

    -Monty

  • “Learning to be more patient and understanding. How dogs think helps me improve on trying to understand others.”

    -Jeff

  • Our PPH facility dog's impact has been substantial. The fact of the matter is that he boosts moral for the employees, keeps us sane, and the clients love working with him.

    -Mental Health Employee

  • There's only one word for my PPH dog Ollie: Priceless!

    -Rob S, a PPH Service Dog Recipient

  • PPH was the best therapy for my husband and it brought him closer to me and our daughter.

    -Wife of a PPH Participant

  • Ethan, a PPH dog, showed me there is love and happiness, outside of grief and despair.

    -A PPH Warrior Canine Trainer

  • Webb was so much help to me while I was recovering in the VA Menlo Park.... When both King and Webb came to visit, I was in heaven as I have two Bernese Mountain dogs that I hadn't seen in weeks.

    -Bill Dable

  • One of my treatment goals was to get better sleep. Having Lief let me feel safe, and I started sleeping better. She actually woke me from a nightmare, too... My anxiety level went down. I was not so hyper-vigilant when I had her.

    -Tim

  • The program helps not only the Veteran who receives the dog as theirs, but it also helps our healing process while we train them.

    -A PPH Veteran-trainer

Three black Labrador therapy dogs seated on a sidewalk in front of a sign for the Department of Veterans Affairs at Menlo Park VA Medical Center, Palo Alto, with flowers and trees in the background.

Our History

Paws for Purple Hearts is the first program of its kind to offer therapeutic intervention for Veterans and Active-Duty Military.

A smiling young woman with her arm around a golden retriever puppy in front of a purple wall with a white outline of Virginia and the word "Virginia" written on it.

Canine-Assisted Warrior Therapy®

Under the guidance of PPH instructors, service members engage with specially bred Golden Retriever and Labrador puppies.

A man with a beige beanie and green T-shirt sitting on a chair hugging a large black dog with a purple collar. The man has a big smile, and the dog looks calm, resting its head on the man's shoulder.

How the Program Works

Read more about how Canine-Assisted Warrior Therapy® helps ease a Warrior’s symptom severity through assisting PPH trainers with soothing, light-hearted contact with PPH puppies and dogs.

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT.

Donations to Paws for Purple Hearts can change a Warrior’s life from hopelessness to optimism.

Your generous, tax-deductible donation helps thousands of Warriors facing the visible and invisible wounds of war.  Our Canine Assisted Warrior Therapy helps them heal as they help others – all with the goal of raising top tier service dogs for Veterans and active duty Service Members with mobility and trauma challenges.