The 10th Annual PAWS 4 Kisses & Hugs
Community volunteers and therapy dogs from various organizations will select a special fire station to be honored and visited by grateful volunteers and therapy dogs. On September 7, 2025, PAWS 4 Kisses & Hugs will express their appreciation to the firefighters for the vital services they provide.
Over the years, they have recognized more than 50 fire stations throughout the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles County, and they look forward to celebrating the men and women dedicated to keeping our communities safe.
What is the PAWS Movement? It began with a simple act of kindness—one therapy dog named Prince Bailey and his owner, Aydiee Vaughn Dunson, had a dream that has since evolved into a journey of love, dedication, and passion. PAWS is an annual celebration to promote community wellness and express gratitude for our local heroes. PAWS 4 Kisses & Hugs was created to provide a brief moment of therapeutic relief for our LAFD firefighters, supported by therapy dog organizations, business partners, sponsors, and the very community they serve.
Aydiee Vaughn Dunson, the founder and director of PAWS and owner of BLM Entertainment and Black Lucy Music, along with Mercy J. Alpert of Have Mercy Mobile Notary, has been instrumental in organizing community volunteers and therapy dogs to visit our local fire departments in memory of 9/11. As we honor the lives lost, we must also recognize the many men and women who continue to serve daily for our freedom and safety. In 2025, we will celebrate the 10th anniversary of PAWS’ efforts to honor our firefighters. The goal is to culminate this journey at ground zero in New York City on the 11th anniversary, where we will honor those firefighters who bravely served during that tragic event.
“We paws to hear the silent cries, we paws to acknowledge life will be forever changed, we paws to honor our heroes in memory of 9/11. We paws to care, we paws to hear your voice, we paws with a simple act of love and kindness. We paws to remember. Just follow the PAWS
and help our heroes recover, restore and rise.” PAWS 4 Kisses & Hugs, we salute you!
