Giving Paws

What Giving Paws does

Giving Paws is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization founded in 2022 and headquartered in St. Johns, Michigan. The organization delivers community services centered on trained support dogs through three core programs: Dog Pack (volunteer human-dog therapy teams visiting schools, libraries, assisted living facilities, hospitals, and other "Doghouses"), Pet Partner Fostering Program (temporary pet foster care for domestic and sexual violence survivors via referrals from EVE, Inc. and SafeCenter), and Tales with Tails (a literacy program where children read to therapy dogs at partner libraries). As of early 2026, it operates from a permanent headquarters at 108 Brush Street and maintains a network of more than 20 service locations across Clinton, Ingham, Eaton, and Shiawassee Counties in mid-Michigan. The organization has no parent company, no institutional investors, and no government funding.

The core asset is a trained, vetted volunteer corps of human-dog teams: each dog-handler pair is required to hold Good Canine Citizen certification and pass a background check, supported by a credentialed board ("Leaders of the Pack") that includes veterinarians, professional dog trainers, and nonprofit operators. All therapy services are delivered free to beneficiaries under signed Memoranda of Understanding. Supporting operations include a vendor store and pet-item thrift store co-located at the HQ; annual community events (Dog Daze of Summer, headlined by an AKC-sanctioned "All Paws on the Ground 5K," and HOWL-O-Ween PAWty); information resources (a Vaccine Resources directory and a Dog Trainer Directory); and third-party fundraisers. Distribution spans a single permanent storefront, third-party retail (Sports Stop of St. Johns), Kroger Community Rewards donations, and event-based donor outreach, all within mid-Michigan.

Revenue is generated exclusively through nonprofit channels: individual donations (PayPal, honor and memorial gifts), grant funding (notably The Cook Family Foundation plus community foundations such as St. Johns Area Community Fund and Shiawassee Community Foundation), retail sales from the on-site vendor store, and event revenue from hosted and third-party fundraisers (vendor booth fees, 5K registration). The only disclosed external funding round on record is a $30,000 grant from RedRover dated June 9, 2025. The organization has no proprietary technology platform, no AI or ML capabilities, no mobile app, and operates its web presence on a standard Weebly deployment. Geographic scope is intentionally limited to mid-Michigan with no international footprint claims.

Name

Giving Paws

Legal name

Giving Paws

Website

https://givinghappypaws.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Giving Paws is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2022 in St. Johns, Michigan, that deploys trained volunteer dog teams to deliver therapy visits, children's literacy programming, and pet foster care for domestic violence survivors across mid-Michigan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal-Assisted Community Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Foster & Volunteer Network Programs (BPAGAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Animal Welfare & Advocacy Organizations (AFAEALAC)

Keywords

• Animal-assisted therapy
• Therapy dog visits
• Pet foster care
• Community literacy programs
• Nonprofit animal services

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Johns

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Generous individuals contribute financial gifts to support the organization's mission and operations. Donations may be tax deductible as the organization is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
2. Grant Funding: Funding received from grant partners including The Cook Family Foundation and community foundations to support programs and operations.
3. Local Vendor Store Revenue: Revenue generated from a local vendor store and pet item thrift store at headquarters. The store sells pet-themed merchandise, sympathy cards, greeting cards, pet bandanas, home decor, treats, toys, and items from local vendors. Proceeds support the Giving Paws mission.
4. Event Revenue: Funds raised through hosted events and fundraisers including Dog Daze of Summer, HOWL-O-Ween PAWty, All Paws on the Ground 5K, and third-party hosted fundraisers.
5. Vendor Event Fees: Vendors pay reservation fees to participate in community events like Dog Daze of Summer ($50 reservation fee, waived for nonprofits).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Giving Paws is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that deploys volunteer dog-human therapy teams to schools, libraries, senior centers, hospitals, and domestic violence agencies across mid-Michigan. Its core offerings include the Dog Pack therapy visit program, the Pet Partner Fostering Program (temporary foster homes for pets of domestic/sexual violence survivors), and the Tales with Tails children's literacy program. Supporting operations include a local Vendor Store selling pet-themed merchandise and thrift items, and signature community events such as Dog Daze of Summer and HOWL-O-Ween PAWty.

Product overview

Giving Paws is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering community support programs centered around trained therapy dogs. The core offerings include the Dog Pack (therapy dog and handler volunteer teams), Pet Partner Fostering Program (temporary pet foster care for domestic violence survivors), and Tales with Tails (reading support programs for children). Supporting operations include a local vendor store selling pet-themed merchandise and thrift items, community events like Dog Daze of Summer and HOWL-O-Ween PAWty, and resource programs for pet vaccinations and trainer referrals. The organization operates from its headquarters at 108 Brush Street in St. Johns, MI, with Doghouse service locations throughout Clinton, Ingham, Eaton, and Shiawassee Counties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dog Pack (Therapy Dog-Human Teams) Volunteer human-and-dog teams trained at minimum as Good Canine Citizen (CGC) that share dog joy and provide emotional support in community locations including schools, libraries, assisted living facilities, hospitals, and domestic violence organizations in mid-Michigan.
• Pet Partner Fostering Program Temporary volunteer pet foster homes for pets of individuals seeking shelter due to domestic and/or sexual violence, with referrals accepted from partner agencies EVE, Inc. (Clinton, Ingham, and Eaton Counties) and SafeCenter (Clinton and Shiawassee Counties).
• Tales with Tails Literacy program where human-and-dog teams support children of all ages in reading aloud to trained therapy dogs, building reading confidence in a non-judgmental environment at partner library locations.
• Vendor Store Local vendor store and pet item thrift store located at 108 Brush Street, St. Johns, MI, selling pet-themed merchandise, sympathy cards, greeting cards, pet bandanas, dog treats, holiday items, candles, home decor, local author books, and items from local vendors; proceeds support the Giving Paws mission.
• Dog Daze of Summer Annual community fundraising event featuring the All Paws on the Ground 5K (AKC Fit Dog Event), UPDog Frisbee Challenge, vendor fair, and family activities; vendor booth reservations available for $50 with waivers for nonprofits and existing store vendors.
• HOWL-O-Ween PAWty Annual Halloween-themed community fundraising event featuring a dog costume contest, pumpkin painting, trunk or treating, and self-serve pup cups, sponsored by Remax Finest and Livingston Farms.
• Doghouse Service Locations Network Formalized partner-location network of 20+ sites across mid-Michigan (schools, libraries, assisted living facilities, hospitals, and domestic violence centers) where Giving Paws Dog Pack teams deliver services; host partners sign an MOU at no cost to either party.
• Donation Program Donation processing program accepting honor/memorial donations, PayPal one-time and recurring gifts, Kroger Community Rewards loyalty contributions, and check donations; donations are tax-deductible as the organization is a 501(c)(3).

Quantifiable outcome

• All Paws on the Ground 5K qualifies as an AKC Fit Dog Event
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• EVE, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026End Violent Encounters organization serving Clinton, Ingham, and Eaton Counties. Expanded Pet Partner Fostering Program partnership in 2026 to serve additional counties.
• Durand Memorial LibrarymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Public library in Durand, MI that began hosting Tales with Tails program in Shiawassee County starting 2026.
• SafeCentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Domestic and sexual violence agency serving Clinton and Shiawassee Counties that refers victims/survivors to Giving Paws Pet Partner Fostering Program. Partnership began with pilot research in 2024 and launched in 2025.
• DeWitt District LibrarymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Public library in DeWitt, MI that expanded Tales with Tails program in Fall 2025. Served by volunteer dog-human teams for literacy support.
• Briggs District LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Public library in St. Johns, MI hosting Tales with Tails reading program (launched Spring 2025) and Rainbow Memorial Bridge memorial site. Hosts Rock Painting Stations for community events.
• ChewyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPet food retailer offering Chewy Give A Meal program where customers can order pet food and donations are made to Giving Paws.
• Uncle John's Cider MillmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal venue hosting Dog Daze of Summer event including All Paws on the Ground 5K and UPdog Frisbee Challenge. Provides food vendors and beverage sales for the event.
• Shiawassee County Humane SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal humane society registered as vendor for Dog Daze of Summer 2026.
• Denise Prehn StudiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business hosting fundraisers to support Giving Paws mission. Hosted June 4th event registration through Square.
• Sports Stop of St. JohnsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal retailer selling Giving Paws branded merchandise including Dog Mom/Dad/Grandma/Grandpa shirts, holiday and seasonal apparel through online storefront.
• KrogermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational grocery chain with Community Rewards program allowing customers to register their loyalty card to direct donations to Giving Paws based on purchases.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Pet Partners: Largest national therapy animal organization, registering volunteer therapy animal teams (including dogs) and certifying them for visits to hospitals, schools, libraries, and similar settings. Directly analogous to Giving Paws' Dog Pack program but operating at national scale with formal insurance and credentialing infrastructure.
• PetSmart Charities: Major animal-welfare grantmaking nonprofit that funds shelter, rescue, and access-to-care programming nationwide. Comparable in that both operate as nonprofit intermediaries for animal-welfare outcomes, but at much larger scale and primarily through grantmaking rather than direct service.
• Humane Society of the United States (HSUS): Largest US animal welfare advocacy organization with broad programming across animal protection, shelter support, and policy. Adjacent in the animal welfare nonprofit space, though much larger and focused on legislative/systemic change rather than direct therapy-dog services.

Direct peers

• Alliance of Therapy Dogs: National therapy dog certification and visitation organization with thousands of registered volunteer dog-handler teams visiting hospitals, schools, libraries, and assisted living facilities. Closest direct competitor to Giving Paws' Dog Pack model, with similar volunteer certification standards (Canine Good Citizen-equivalent testing).
• Lutheran Church Charities Comfort Dogs: Faith-based therapy dog program deploying trained K-9 comfort dog teams to schools, hospitals, disaster sites, and community events. Comparable to Giving Paws' school/hospital/libraries visits and disaster/community outreach.

Emerging players

• RedRover: Nonprofit organization that operates the Safe Housing program — temporary foster care for pets of domestic violence survivors — which is a direct analog to Giving Paws' Pet Partner Fostering Program. RedRover is also an actual grantmaker to Giving Paws ($30K, June 2025), making them both a partial peer and a funder.

Others

• Petco Love (formerly Petco Foundation): Animal-welfare grantmaking nonprofit funded by Petco that supports adoption, access to veterinary care, and shelter programs nationwide. Comparable as a peer nonprofit in the animal-welfare funding ecosystem and a potential grant counterpart for community programs like Giving Paws' Pet Partner Fostering.

Regional players

• Great Pyrenees Rescue / Bony's Buddies Rescue: Regional Michigan-based animal rescue focused on rehoming dogs, with volunteer-driven foster networks. Comparable to Giving Paws' volunteer/foster operational model but oriented to permanent rehoming rather than DV-survivor temporary fostering.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GivingHappyPaws
• Instagraminstagram.com/givingpaws48879
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/giving-paws

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Giving Paws