Heartland Canines for Veterans

07/06/2026

Kimberrrrrrr! Seeing you comfortable makes my heart happy and sad at the same time. Happy because you begin your true mission today,sad because I wont get to see you every day. Kimberling City Elks 2505 Veterans of the Ozarks

29/05/2026

We agree with our friends at Down the Leash!

28/05/2026

The game is getting even better! And now, you CAN'T miss it! Not only do you get baseball, but you get to see Tex graduate!
Let's give Tex and his Veteran James Lange the BEST graduation party ever! Tex is LITERALLY the happiest dog I know and nothing would be better than a full stadium coming to their feet when Tex receives his graduation medal.
He is going to bring such joy... and relief... to his Veteran. Let's celebrate him together!
July 25th at 7 pm at Joe Becker Stadium.
Baseball. Veterans. And Tex.

28/05/2026

Veteran Appreciation Night is BACK! We are very excited to announce our partnership with the Joplin Jailbirds! It is going to be another fun night at Joe Becker Stadium. We are actively looking for sponsors for this event and we will have a sponsor sheet available for this event. You can also head over to our web page when you get a chance and check out the events tab to learn more!

24/05/2026

Ah, Tex. Gonna be tough when you're gone. Sure do love you dude.

13/05/2026

This was a great shot taken by Squirrel Minnows the day of our golf putting. A big thank you to her for the pictures, and a huge thank you to Bennett Heavy and Specialized LLC for sponsoring hole #6, the Par 3 with the kiddie pool. That is such a fun hole and thanks for partnering again with us this year... and for everything you do for the Veteran Community!

12/05/2026

We love our friends at Spiva! This is a great opportunity for Veterans!

VETERANS! 🇺🇸 We’re teaming up with Missouri Arts Council and Eg Reggi to host a Veterans Improv class right here in Joplin. Under the cohort model, veterans will meet weekly for 6 weeks.

Whether you are looking to improve your public speaking, navigate transitions with more ease, or spend an afternoon laughing with people who understand your background, this workshop offers a solid foundation in the art of spontaneity.

No previous experience is required—just a willingness to step out of your comfort zone and have your partner's back.

Help us curate this experience by taking the Interest Survey linked below🌟



https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=L8SXbborGk-nApK7SHgKWy2fJAqHIABFjUjxA5-SDmRUREE5TjY3UjRFQlhBSEJLVEdON0xXVFBMRi4u&fbclid=IwY2xjawRvDMJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFFVHA1eXo3dXFHUkE0cXR4c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHprxMrF1ICcq5eNLzIimKz0y2y7wVM-qcw3UgsS1FKFQhdxgGbGkaG7lKnJS_aem_csltSPEtokQZKqoiBEsyuw

11/05/2026

EOW: 11 May 26

Blitzen - Service K9

Last week, I received a call from Brian (maybe it was a message and I called him back.) He had received Blitzen back in 2018 from Heartland.
From the second we started talking, one thing he was going to be sure of, was if there was anyone on the planet that could relate to what he was experiencing, it was me.
We had hoped for a better outcome and unfortunately, here we are today. We are here to honor a service dog that saved his Veterans life. Was there in the darkest moments and stayed. Listened. Protected. Loved.
Help us remind Brian, that he is not alone. That the pain is real, but that its ok. This grief and hurt is the cost of such a strong bond created in life.

Jimmy

Message from Brian-

Blitzen and I were officially teamed together on October 24 2018. At the time I was having some significant health concerns that the VA and civilian docs were trying to figure out. Drinking water would make me sick, Blitz would just be there laying on the floor comforting me. When they figured out that my gallbladder was cancerous it had leaked into my stomach. Before they took it out, I had to complete a round of infusions to get my inflammation back under control. Once again Blitz was my rock, he never wavered and would just watch over me. Through my hardest and darkest days, Blitzen was always there, always.
We loved to go fishing together, even though he hated the water, he loved to be in the boat or just laying in the grass watching the water.
He loved everyone, he was my gentle giant teddy bear.

11/05/2026

How about a huge congrats to Sandy and her momma/handler Tammy for all the hard work they are doing to bring smiles and love to the masses!
At the Heartland Putts for Paws II event, Sandy was recognized for completing her Hk9 Therapy Dog Training, made possible from last years Putts for Paws!
Robert Wood

10/05/2026

Some of the teams photos courtesy of Squirrel Minnows from our Heartland Putts for Paws II !