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Puppies Healing Heroes provides highly trained service dogs to military veterans and first responders suffering from PTSD and other service-related trauma to improve their quality of life.

About Sacred Mountain
Retreat Center

Sacred Mountain Retreat Center in Deadwood, South Dakota, created the Puppies Healing Heroes program to help match support puppies with service members. This is a donation-based program and the funds go to offset the costs of purchasing puppies, training, pet food, and veterinary care.
Puppies Healing Heroes is about connecting support dogs with service members and first responders (EMT, Law Enforcement, Firefighters, Military/Veterans, Correction Officers) who are affected by PTSD or other disabilities, to improve their quality of life.

About K9 Elite

The Puppies Healing Heroes program is possible thanks to a partnership between Sacred Mountain Retreat Center and K9 Elite, which supplies service dogs and training.
K9 Elite was founded in 2018 by Wes Mangus for the sole purpose of raising and training service dogs for veterans and first responders in need at little to no cost. Mangus observed that those that truly need a service dog typically cannot afford a properly trained animal, so he sought to fill that need.
K9 Elite raises and trains puppies in-house. Veterans and first responders that are to receive puppies are brought in for one-on-one training so that their dog is best trained to help them in their daily life.
In 2021, K9 Elite established a life-long partnership with Sacred Mountain Retreat Center. K9 Elite has the dogs and the training capabilities, and Sacred Mountain has the Foundation and the ability to bring in veterans and first responders in need. This was the beginning of something great – each entity having what the other needed to complete their mission.
As a whole, Sacred Mountain Retreat Center and K9 Elite are now able to work as a joint effort to fulfill the mission of ending veteran and first responder suicide.
Wes - K9 Elite

How Puppies Heal
Our Heroes

There are many ways service dogs help those they support lead a more fulfilling life:
  • For those suffering from depression and anxiety, taking their service dog for walks can be the motivation needed to get active and out of the house.
  • Because of a dog’s loyalty, veterans and first responders with PTSD learn that they can depend on their service dog, which can go far in learning to trust people as well.
  • Dogs can help in adjusting to civilian life by allowing veterans who are used to giving orders a way to use their command skills constructively.
  • Always having a dog by your side can make you feel protected, easing the symptoms of PTSD such as anxiety, depression, flashbacks, and nightmares.
  • A dog’s unconditional love and affection help brighten a bad day.

How to Apply

Puppies Healing Heroes is available to military veterans and first responders that are suffering from PTSD or other service-related trauma. Military veteran applicants must supply a DD-214, while first responder applicants must supply a letter of reference from their employer. Learn more about the application process by clicking the button below
Apply now
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How You Can Help

We depend on donations to help us better the lives of our heroes. All funds that we collect go towards offsetting the costs of purchasing puppies, training, pet food, and veterinary care. Join in the mission of ending veteran and first responder suicide by donating today!

Get Involved

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