Special to The Desert Sun

Based in Palm Desert, Paws & Hearts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides animal-assisted therapy seven days a week throughout the Coachella Valley. Our therapy dogs, or "canine ambassadors" as we call them, and their human handlers visit local hospitals, long-term care facilities and Alzheimer's and cancer centers to visit the patients — and in many cases, the staff — in order to lift their spirits.

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