Who we serve

Golden Paws of Purpose was born from a deeply personal journey of survival, resilience, and healing.  As a child, the founder experienced severe trauma without access to formal therapy. During the darkest moments it was the unconditional love and presence of animals, especially horses and dogs, that provided comfort, stability, and a reason to keep going.  From a young age, she developed a passion for helping others, even intervening during her own family’s mental health crises and helping loved ones through suicidal moments. This calling led her to become a school counselor, serving children in high-poverty, high-crime communities where many students face unimaginable hardships, including abuse, neglect, and trafficking.  While supporting these children, she also carried the weight of their stories—experiencing secondary trauma while continuing to show up and serve. Alongside her professional work, she built a lifelong career working with animals: as a veterinary technician, working with exotic animals in zoos, and training animals from an early age.  Living with PTSD from both childhood trauma and an abusive relationship, she trained her own service dog with the guidance of a professional working dog trainer. Through that experience, she witnessed firsthand the profound, life-changing impact a properly trained service animal can have.Golden Paws of Purpose was created from this lived experience—with the belief that animals provide a unique form of healing that, for many, goes beyond what traditional therapy alone can offer.This organization exists to give others the same chance at healing, connection, and hope that animals provided to her.