PAWS With a Cause – MICHIGAN

Address: 4646 Division Avenue S
Wayland, MI 49348 Phone: (616) 877-0248 Website: https://www.pawswithacause.org/

Paws With A Cause^® trains Assistance Dogs nationally for people with disabilities and provides lifetime team support which encourages independence. PAWS^® promotes awareness through education.  It offers the best of everything to its clients, including full ownership of their dog when training is completed. PAWS Assistance Dogs are trained to assist people who have been challenged by any of more than 25 different diseases, including: cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injuries, epilepsy and varying degrees of hearing impairment and vision loss.

 

PAWS Service Dogs are typically Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, or retriever mixes.  Our Hearing Dogs may be retriever breeds, or any number of small or mixed breeds.  All dogs must pass a specialized temperament test and comprehensive health screening to enter PAWS training program.  Most PAWS dogs have been raised from puppyhood by a volunteer Foster Puppy Raiser, and many have been bred specifically for Assistance Dog work!  Some of our dogs are donated by private individuals or breeders, while others may have been rescued from the many shelters and rescues we maintain relationships with.  Occasionally, a client’s own dog may be trained as their Assistance Dog.  The dog must be between 16 and 36 months old, of an approved breed, and able to pass extensive temperament and comprehensive health screenings.