How Hearts of Gold began

Hearts of Gold Legacy Canines began with a simple observation, made over and over: when a well-raised, well-trained dog walks into a room, something in that room changes. Shoulders drop. Conversations start. People who have carried something heavy for a long time set it down for a moment. That change is not luck — it is the healing power of the human-canine bond, and it can be raised, trained, and placed on purpose.

So that became the work. Raise puppies in real homes, where they learn that the world is safe. Train them slowly and honestly, turning instinct into skill and skill into service. Then place each dog where it can do the most good — beside a veteran, in a hospital hallway, in a school, with a first responder, or with one individual whose independence depends on it.

We are a young Missouri nonprofit, and we would rather grow carefully than quickly. Every dog we place carries our name and our standards for its whole working life — which is why we measure success not in numbers placed, but in partnerships that hold: connections that inspire hope, healing, confidence, and lasting positive change.

Hearts of Gold Legacy Canines The mission, in full

Our mission is to raise, train, and place exceptional therapy and service dogs that enrich lives, foster independence, and strengthen communities through the healing power of the human-canine bond. We are committed to serving our local community by partnering with schools, hospitals, veterans, healthcare facilities, first responders, and individuals in need. Creating meaningful connections that inspire hope, healing, confidence, and lasting positive change.

Who we serve alongside

Five corners of one community

  • Schools

    A calm dog in a classroom or library changes how hard days go — easing reading anxiety, softening transitions, and giving students a reason to show up.

  • Hospitals

    For patients and families in long, uncertain hours, a therapy visit is a few minutes when the room is about something warm instead of something worrying.

  • Veterans

    Service and therapy dogs alike can be a steady partner for those who served — a presence that makes crowded rooms, quiet nights, and new routines more manageable.

  • Healthcare facilities

    Care homes, clinics, and rehabilitation settings — places where a gentle, predictable visitor lifts residents and staff in equal measure.

  • First responders

    The people who run toward hard days deserve support after them. Visits to stations and departments offer decompression the job rarely schedules.

The people behind the dogs

A small team, growing on purpose

Makayla

Founder & Head Trainer

Makayla founded Hearts of Gold Legacy Canines with a vision to raise and train exceptional dogs whose steadiness, reliability, and connection with people can make a meaningful difference in the lives of those they serve. As Founder and Head Trainer, she leads the development of the program's dogs from their earliest foundations through advanced training and placement.

As a professional dog trainer and owner of Paw Talk, Makayla brings extensive hands-on experience in canine behavior, training, and development. Her work has given her experience with dogs across a wide range of temperaments, training needs, and environments, shaping an approach that emphasizes clear communication, confidence, neutrality, adaptability, and real-world reliability.

Makayla personally oversees the training standards and progression of Hearts of Gold dogs, with a strong focus on selecting appropriate temperaments and building the skills each dog needs for its individual role. She believes exceptional therapy and service dogs are developed through more than obedience alone—they must be emotionally steady, comfortable in complex environments, responsive to their handler, and genuinely suited for the work being asked of them.

Through Hearts of Gold, Makayla is committed to maintaining a high standard for every dog the program raises, trains, and places. Her goal is not simply to produce well-trained dogs, but to develop dependable canine partners who are prepared to serve their people and communities with confidence, stability, and heart.

Brittany Panus

Cofounder & Director of Therapy Dog Program

As a therapist and experienced therapy dog handler, Brittany brings a unique perspective to the development and placement of our therapy dogs. She is passionate about advocating for the benefits of therapy dogs in schools, clinical settings, and other environments where they can positively impact the lives of the people they serve. In her career as a therapist, she has utilized a therapy dog as part of her daily practice and previously served as a school counselor, where she incorporated a school therapy dog into the educational environment.

Brittany has personally raised, trained, and worked with her own therapy dogs, giving her firsthand experience in both the preparation of the dog and the responsibility that comes with placing a therapy dog in a professional setting. Her approach prioritizes thoughtful education, ethical advocacy, and the well-being of both the dog and the individuals they serve. She is committed to ensuring that the dogs placed through the program are exceptionally well-prepared, temperamentally appropriate, and highly trained so they can safely and successfully meet the unique demands of their role.

Volunteer Coordinator

Role opening

The person who will match raisers, handlers, and helping hands to the work that fits them.

Joining soon

Board of Directors

Now forming

Community members who will hold the organization to its mission and its books to the light.

Forming now

Held to a high standard, on purpose.

We are working toward the highest standards in the assistance-dog field — in how our dogs are bred, raised, trained, placed, and supported for life. Standards are not a finish line for us; they are the daily habit the whole organization is built around.

That includes financial standards: as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, our financials are published annually, so every donor can see exactly how each gift becomes a working dog.

Every gift raises a puppy, trains a dog, and keeps every placement free to its recipient. Be part of the story from the beginning.

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