Paws with Purpose: How SPA’s Puppy Fleet Supports Veterans from the Ground Up
Honored as ACG National Capital’s Community Service Project of the Year
- Alexandria, VA | June 19, 2025
When SPA Fellow and retired Navy Captain Bill Hoeft walks into the office with a playful Labrador puppy at his heels, he’s not just making coworkers smile—he’s helping shape the future for a veteran or first responder in need.
Through SPA’s “Puppy Fleet” initiative, Hoeft and a growing group of employee volunteers are raising future guide and service dogs right alongside their daily work. It’s a mission that blends purpose and compassion—and now, it’s earned national recognition. The Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) National Capital has named SPA’s Puppy Fleet its Community Service Project of the Year, celebrating the company’s distinctive approach to supporting those who’ve served.
Launched in 2024, the Puppy Fleet provides essential early socialization for guide and service dogs in training. Before they can begin advanced instruction, these highly trained animals must first master the basics of calm, confident behavior in real-world settings—elevators, conference rooms, noisy corridors, lunchtime crowds. SPA’s offices offer just the kind of rich, everyday exposure these pups need to succeed.
SPA’s Puppy Fleet!
But this isn’t your average corporate sponsorship. What makes the initiative truly stand out is SPA’s unique, hands-on approach. The company not only provides financial support to the Guide Dog Foundation and America’s VetDogs of Smithtown, NY—it also actively encourages employee participation. Through a flexible workplace policy, SPA employees who qualify as puppy raisers are invited to bring their dogs to work each day, creating a vibrant office environment that doubles as a training ground.
“It’s a life-changing mission for all involved,” said Hoeft, who along with his wife, Melissa Harrington, helped launch the program and accepted the ACG award on SPA’s behalf. “For the veterans and first responders who will eventually rely on these dogs, the impact is profound. And for our employees, it’s a powerful way to continue serving—one pawprint at a time.”
“It’s a life-changing mission for all involved...For the veterans and first responders who will eventually rely on these dogs, the impact is profound."
To date, nine SPA employees have completed the rigorous volunteer certification process and raised puppies from 8 weeks to 16 months of age. These pups are now beginning the next phase of their journey, and a second class of trainees is already underway. Employees across departments have embraced the program, creating a workplace culture that reflects SPA’s core values of duty, excellence, and service before self.
This culture is no accident. For decades, SPA has demonstrated a deep commitment to the veteran community—not just through hiring, but through mentorship, transition support, and community service. The Puppy Fleet initiative is part of a broader ecosystem of veteran-focused efforts, including participation in SkillBridge and Hiring Our Heroes, as well as the formation of SPA Vets, an internal employee resource group that provides camaraderie and advocacy for veterans and reservists.
As the Puppy Fleet continues to grow, so does its impact. Whether it’s offering a steady paw to a veteran navigating PTSD or helping a first responder regain independence after injury, these dogs are more than companions—they’re life-changing partners. And thanks to the dedication of SPA’s employee volunteers, their journeys begin in a place shaped by service, mission, and heart.
Learn more about SPA’s Puppy Fleet and its impact here.
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