Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Paws With a Cause


Approximately 97% of all people with disabilities are not blind; they are physically challenged in some other way. Paws With a Cause® trains dogs to help with many everyday tasks that can pose significant challenges to those with disabilities.

With their constant attentiveness and loyalty, dogs are the ideal service animal. An assistance dog can alert a deaf parent to the crying of a baby in the next room, or to help with daily independence by opening doors using a special pulling device invented by Paws With a Cause®. Dogs can be trained to pull wheelchairs, transfer a wallet to a cashier and back, and even call 911 when needed.

Paws With a Cause® facilitates the fostering of 1- to 3-year-old dogs from shelters with loving families who provide a safe and loving foundation. The dogs undergo careful training and evaluation so they can be matched with the best possible owner. The Animal Rescue Site is excited to support Paws With a Cause® in its noble work. $20.00 helps transform a shelter dog into a trained Assistant Dog.

In 1979, Paws With A Cause®, first named Ears for the Deaf, was born. Only a few small organizations existed to train dogs for the majority of the disabled population, which includes those individuals with the most severely limiting disabilities. Approximately 97% of all people with disabilities are not blind; they are physically challenged in some other way, and very few dogs were being trained to work with them. Paws With a Cause® trains Assistance Dogs for people with disabilities, provides lifetime team support that encourages independence, and promotes awareness through education.

To help this great cause or to read more about it please visit www.pawswithacause.org
Have a great bow wow day! :)

4 comments:

~Marie~ said...

I often think about getting Peanut trained to be a therapy dog. He really loves people (minus kids because my cousin's 2 year old kicked him) and is really gently with people who are older. My mom has MS, and he is really gentle with her, and our neighbor has back problems and he is also really gentle with her.

CC said...

Sounds like Peanut might have a very deserving job in the furture. Let me know if you do train...I'd love to hear all about it.

I on the other hand have thought about letting Marley paint! That way he can help pay for his "cookies".

aims said...

I have a blind friend who has had a couple of service dogs.

I remember Mickey very well - a black lab who was very lovable - very cute. Unfortunately he liked to chase deer and deer unfortunately cross very busy highways.

My friend was devastated. She has since moved and I don't know what her service dog is like now. But Mickey sure was a wonderful dog in many respects.

CC said...

That is a sad story and I am sure your friend was devastated with the loss of Mickey.

I hope she has a new friend and is doing well. Thanks for sharing the story Aims.