Survivor Support Dogs

Community Advocacy Supervisor Stacie & Survivor Support Dog Ranger

An exciting 360 Communities initiative involves a creative way to provide additional support to abuse survivors. We are the first domestic and sexual violence program in Minnesota to have a survivor support dog to help people cope with stress and anxiety. Studies have shown that the simple act of petting an animal lowers blood pressure and encourages well-being.

We work with Pawsitive Perspectives Assistance Dogs (PawPADs), an organization that trains service dogs to respond to traumatic events, like mass shootings or disasters. Ranger was our first Survivor Support Dog. He passed away in 2024 after years of positive impacts in the community, assisting victims/survivors.

Survivor Support Dog Clyde is a recent PawPADs graduate and in his role, offers:

Comfort and emotional support for victims experiencing trauma.
Is trained to sit on or near the feet of the victim/survivor in court.
Is available to be pet by the victim to ease anxiousness in various settings, including law enforcement interviews, preparation for court testimony, and one-on-one meetings with advocates.

We need the community’s help to fund this. If you want to contribute to this initiative, click the button below.