From Tiny Paws to Lifelong Partners: A Gift That Changes Lives

Industry | June 2026

Written by:

Graham Garrison is an editor and writer with experience in business and trade publications across several industries. He has worked for Veterinary Advantage since 2009.

A Patterson Foundation grant will help ACTS Service Dogs expand its capacity to raise and prepare assistance dogs who bring independence and comfort to those in need.

For individuals living with disabilities and veterans adjusting to life after service, a trained assistance dog can be a lifeline to independence, confidence and connection. Recognizing the profound impact these highly skilled animals have on daily living, Patterson Veterinary Supply, on behalf of the Patterson Foundation, recently awarded a $20,000 grant to Assistance Canine Training Services (ACTS Service Dogs) in Center Conway, New Hampshire.

The Patterson Foundation supports assistance dogs by awarding grants to nonprofit organizations that train, raise, and place service animals with veterans and individuals with disabilities. Its funding is specifically directed toward programs that expand capacity for assistance dog services, including puppy breeding and raising initiatives, trainer and client-facing personnel support, capital projects to increase training or operational space and broader program support that improves client access and experience.

.

Eligible organizations are typically members of Assistance Dogs International (ADI) or the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF), and funding is generally designed to strengthen established assistance dog programs rather than start new ones. Through these grants, the Foundation helps increase the availability of trained service dogs and enhances the resources needed to support individuals who rely on them for independence and daily living.

ACTS works to enrich and transform lives through professionally trained service and facility dogs, as well as compassionate community outreach. ACTS is ADI accredited and a member of Animal Assisted Intervention International (AAII), serving individuals throughout New England and beyond from its headquarters in Conway, New Hampshire and training center at the University of Vermont.

.

This grant will be used to support capital improvements within their on-site whelping program.

Photos courtesy of Patterson Veterinary Supply

>