Paws and Stripes

What Paws and Stripes does

Paws and Stripes is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2010 and headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, that provides service dog pairing and mental health therapy services to military veterans suffering from PTSD, trauma, traumatic brain injury, and anxiety, as well as to their families. All services are delivered at no cost to eligible recipients. The organization's core offering is the Veteran Service Dog Program, which trains rescue dogs (90% of service dogs are sourced from rescues) and pairs them with veterans, supplemented by Individual Therapy Services for ongoing mental health support.

The organization's underlying technology is operational and clinical rather than software-based: service dog training protocols, animal-welfare standards, and clinical therapy delivery. ADI (Assistance Dogs International) accreditation anchors the program quality and compliance posture, while GuideStar Gold Member and Charity Navigator Encompass certifications provide nonprofit transparency credentials. Veterans access services via an online application form (Microsoft Forms-based intake), with screening, training, and ongoing support managed in-house. Back-office donation processing runs through QGiv, and the website is built on Wix.

The business model is a diversified nonprofit revenue stack comprising individual donations (with monthly recurring giving options), federal grants, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants. Key financial and corporate partners include Petco Love, Anderson Foundation, PNM, Blue Cross Blue Shield NM, Bank of Albuquerque, New Mexico OES, and Fox Grant. The organization is governed by a board, holds 501(c)(3) status, and operates regionally within New Mexico with no disclosed geographic expansion. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the organization reports $0.83 of every dollar going directly to programs.

Name

Paws and Stripes

Legal name

Paws and Stripes

Website

https://pawsandstripes.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Paws and Stripes is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Albuquerque, New Mexico that provides free service dog pairing and mental health therapy services to military veterans with PTSD, trauma, and anxiety, funded through donations, federal grants, and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veteran Mental Health Services

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (812910)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Veterans Affairs & Military Family Services (BPAIAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Animal Welfare & Advocacy Organizations (AFAEALAC)

Keywords

• Veteran mental health services
• Service dog training
• Animal-assisted therapy
• PTSD support programs
• Nonprofit veteran services

Headquarters

HQ city

Albuquerque

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual donors contribute to support veteran service dog programs and mental health services. Monthly giving options are available for recurring donations.
2. Federal Funding: Federal funding supports program operations and veteran services.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate sponsors provide donations, in-kind contributions, and event sponsorships.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Paws and Stripes is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that pairs trained rescue dogs with military veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury, trauma, and anxiety, and provides ongoing individual mental health therapy to veterans and their families. All services are delivered at no cost to qualifying veterans and their families in New Mexico.

Product overview

Paws and Stripes is a nonprofit organization offering a coordinated suite of programs to support veteran mental health and wellbeing. The core offerings are the Veteran Service Dog Program (which trains rescue dogs to assist veterans with PTSD, trauma, and anxiety) and Individual Therapy Services—both provided at no cost to eligible veterans and their families. The organization also provides conference room rentals for external groups and maintains a resource referral network connecting veterans to federal employment services, food assistance, mental health support, and self-care tools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Veteran Service Dog Program A program that trains rescue dogs to become service animals and pairs them with veterans suffering from PTSD, trauma, and anxiety, providing ongoing support and the life-changing bond of a service dog.
• Individual Therapy Services Ongoing mental health therapy services provided to veterans and their families at no cost, complementing the service dog program.
• Conference Room Rental Rental of Paws and Stripes classroom or conference space for external groups. Available rooms accommodate 8 to 30 people.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of service dogs are rescues, giving shelter dogs a second chance while helping veterans
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Positive Energy SolarminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRecognized as a Pawsome Partner, providing support for the organization.
• Petco LovecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing funding and support for animal welfare and service dog programs.
• PNMcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProvided donations of dog supplies and serves as a Pawsome Partner.
• GuidestarcoreOthersGold Member of GuideStar, demonstrating commitment to transparency and accountability.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• America's VetDogs: National nonprofit providing service dogs to veterans with disabilities, including PTSD. Operates a similar veteran service dog pairing program and is a recognized national leader in the space.
• NEADS World Class Service Dogs: Nonprofit organization that trains service dogs for veterans, children, and adults with disabilities. Comparable in service dog training mission and nonprofit nonprofit-funded delivery model.
• Patriot PAWS Service Dogs: Nonprofit that trains and provides service dogs to disabled American veterans and others with physical disabilities. Direct peer in service dog training for veterans with trauma-related conditions.
• Pets for Vets: Nonprofit that supports veterans with PTSD and other service-related challenges through shelter dog training and companion animal programs. Direct peer in combining rescue dogs with veteran mental health support.
• K9s For Warriors: National nonprofit that pairs rescued service dogs with military veterans suffering from PTSD, TBI, and MST. Closest direct comparable to Paws and Stripes in mission, rescue-dog sourcing, and no-cost delivery model, but operating at a much larger national scale.
• Hero Dogs: Nonprofit that raises, trains, and places service dogs with veterans and first responders. Direct comparable in rescue-based service dog training paired with veteran mental health services.

Broad incumbents

• Canine Companions for Independence: Large national nonprofit providing trained service dogs to veterans and other people with disabilities. Comparable in service dog category but with broader mission and national facility footprint.
• Wounded Warrior Project: Large national nonprofit serving post-9/11 injured veterans with physical and mental health programs. Adjacent peer in veteran mental health funding and federal grant competition, though not a service dog specialist.
• Semper Fi & America's Fund: Major veteran support nonprofit providing financial assistance and programs for wounded, critically ill, and injured service members. Competes for similar donor and federal funding but focuses on broader financial/clinical support.

Others

• Petco Love: National nonprofit animal welfare organization and existing core partner of Paws and Stripes. Comparable as a funder/foundation partner in the animal welfare space, with significant grantmaking reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/PawsandStripesInc
• Facebookfacebook.com/pawsandstripes501c
• Instagraminstagram.com/thepawsandstripes
• Xx.com/pawsandstripes
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/paws-and-stripes

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Paws and Stripes