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Bruceton Mills Today
By the People, for the People
WVU Hearts of Gold Program Pairs Service Dogs with Veterans
The program aims to address physical and mental health needs of veterans through service animal placements.
Mar. 28, 2026 at 9:08pm
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The Hearts of Gold program's service dog placements help veterans regain their independence and reintegrate into their communities.Bruceton Mills TodayWest Virginia University's Hearts of Gold program held a graduation ceremony to honor three service dogs and their veteran partners who completed required training. The program, a partnership between the WVU Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Human Animal Bond, trains and places service dogs with veterans in need of daily assistance, particularly those dealing with PTSD and other mental health challenges.
Why it matters
The Hearts of Gold program plays a vital role in supporting veterans' reintegration into their communities and daily lives by providing them with highly trained service animals at no cost. This helps address the alarming statistic that one in 22 veterans will die by suicide after their military service.
The details
During the ceremony, organizers highlighted the important role of foster families who help raise and socialize the dogs, as well as donors whose financial support sustains the training efforts each year. Officials noted that a fully trained service dog costs nearly $30,000, but the veterans receive the animals at no personal cost.
- The Hearts of Gold program graduation ceremony took place on Saturday, March 28, 2026.
The players
Hearts of Gold Program
A partnership between the WVU Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Human Animal Bond that trains and places service dogs with veterans in need of daily assistance.
Myranda Klein
A trainer with the Hearts of Gold program who spoke about the program's mission to provide service dogs to veterans, particularly those dealing with PTSD and other mental health challenges.
What they’re saying
“Our veterans, you know, the statistic is one out of 22 will unfortunately unalive themselves after their military service. So, a big part of what we do here is place service dogs with the military veterans, mostly with PTSD as their disability. So, these dogs help change their lives, they enable them to get back into the community, back to work, and sometimes even back to their families.”
— Myranda Klein, Hearts of Gold Trainer
What’s next
The Hearts of Gold program plans to continue expanding its service dog placements with veterans across the region to address ongoing physical and mental health needs.
The takeaway
The Hearts of Gold program's service dog placements provide a vital lifeline for veterans struggling with the aftermath of their military service, helping them regain independence, reintegrate into their communities, and address mental health challenges like PTSD.