Who We Are

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Hero Paws came about when three ex-military dog handlers, (JAIME, SAM & AMBER) who knew first hand what military working dogs’ daily life looked like when in service, realised that the after care for retired or failed dogs did not meet the standard expected. Indeed, in their own words the standard of aftercare and treatment, was not what we expected for these hero veterans and there is no funding or military pension for the dogs that are fortunate enough to be rehomed. If the dogs do not meet the required standards to live in a home environment in a time allotted, they will be euthanized, regardless of never leaving a working kennel and experiencing a home environment. 

There was no structured training plan or normalisation, decompression training package for the working dogs to enter a civilian world as a pet, or for those with behaviour issues to undergo behaviour modification and environmental training. Further there was no protection as to where they were to be re-homed or any aftercare package or support network for the families adopting the dogs. Often the dogs being released unneutered.