DOGS FOR DIGNITY
®
Stories of the Journey to Independence
WINTER 2017 NEWSLETTER
UNWRAPPING JOY
Anna relishes her newfound independence with Service Dog DINO. Thank you for giving this amazing gift to PAWS® Clients!
In “You Needed Me”, PAWS® Assistance Dog ARCHER shares his journey from birth to being placed with his partner, Jill.
YOU BRING
joy
B
ecause of you, three amazing women are experiencing greater independence and quality of life. Your generosity placed PAWS® Assistance Dogs by their side, so they are able to focus their energy on those they love and those in need, rather than on their disability.
Marguerite stops before walking inside of a building. “SCARLETT, touch,” she states. SCARLETT jumps up and touches the push plate with her nose, opening the door to the building. Marguerite reaches down to pat SCARLETT’s golden head, and they walk inside the building together.
e t i r e u g r a M
+ SCARLETT
lows me to be “SCARLETT al ent and she is more independ nion.” a great compa
SCARLETT is more than Marguerite’s Hearing and Service Dog, SCARLETT is her partner. Marguerite says, “SCARLETT allows me to be more independent and she is a great companion.” She opens doors for Marguerite, picks up items she drops, helps her balance, braces if she needs help getting up. She also alerts Marguerite to different sounds such as her ringing phone, alarm clock, smoke alarm, and her name being called. Thanks to you, Marguerite’s new year is looking bright with SCARLETT by her side.
Linda
Linda sits at the kitchen table with her grandsons eating lunch when someone knocks at the door. ELF, a spunky Hearing Dog, prances over to Linda and paws at her leg. Looking down Linda signs, “What?” and ELF races to the door, checking over his shoulder to make sure Linda is following, and then sits at the door until she opens it.
+ ELF
at ELF est things th b e th f o e “On n we ads up whe e h a is s e provid ere is ublic that th are out in p bout me.” different a g in th e m so
“When my Hearing Dog PIP passed away, I considered not getting another Hearing Dog. But as soon as I started to experience life without PIP, I knew I wanted another dog,” says Linda. “The constant vigilance and always being alert is exhausting.” ELF alerts Linda to alarms, sirens, timers, intruders, doorbells, and to someone calling her name. “One of the best things that ELF provides is a heads up when we are out in public that there is something different about me.” The visual of having an Assistance Dog helps people realize that the person with them may need a little extra assistance. ELF is bringing Linda joy and a sense of security because your generosity has made this special team possible.
Anna sits in the middle of the sidewalk looking at the ground where she dropped her keys. Looking around, she doesn’t see anyone who can assist her, so she waits. Then it dawns on her that she does. “DINO, take it,” Anna says and then smiles as she watches DINO, her goofy and enthusiastic black Labrador Retriever, scoop up the keys and bring them to her lap. In addition to retrieving dropped items, DINO closes the door for Anna and helps her dress. She no longer has to rely on other people so she can focus on the things that are important to her – her friends and family. “I have dreamed of getting a Service Dog since I was a little girl. DINO is not only a dream come true, he is beyond my wildest dreams. Thank you!” You are giving Anna a future full of promise now that she has Service Dog DINO by her side.
The gift you gave Paws With A Cause® changes the lives of clients like Marguerite, Linda and Anna every day, bringing independence and increased quality of life. Thank you for giving the gift of joy and allowing PAWS’ Clients to give joy to others. From the PAWS family to yours, we wish you a happy new year!
Anna
+ DINO
“I have dreamed of getting a Serv ice Dog since I was a little girl. DINO is not only a dream com e true, he is beyo nd my wildest dream s. Thank you!”
W
u o y k Than
e are always impressed by the creative ways companies raise funds for Paws With A Cause. Employees may donate so they can wear jeans to the office. A golf outing may select PAWS as a beneficiary. Psychic Source is donating a percentage of their profits through their Kindness Initiative. In 2017, they have raised enough to make two PAWS Teams possible! “As a company, Psychic Source believes every living being deserves compassion, appreciation, and respect,” said Donnamarie of Psychic Source. “Since 1989, we have been helping customers by providing wisdom and guidance to achieve their best selves. This got us thinking, ‘How can we do more to help society as a whole?’ Together, we have the
power to be part of something bigger, and touch the lives of others across the globe.” Psychic Source is doing just that through the Kindness Initiative, by donating 1% for every customer purchase. Donnamarie said they give to PAWS because, “Our community places a strong focus on positive outcomes, mental and emotional health, peace, child abuse, and animal welfare. Paws With A Cause resonated with us because the majority of our Advisors are animal lovers, and many have direct experience helping others or living with disabilities themselves, so there’s a natural fit.” We are truly grateful to Psychic Source for their commitment to kindness and to the lives of PAWS’ Client Dog Teams!
You may be looking for a way to make a big difference to help further our mission. If you are 70½ or older, you may also be interested in a way to lower the income and taxes from your IRA withdrawals. An IRA charitable rollover is a way you can benefit this year while helping to continue our work. If you have any questions about an IRA charitable rollover gift, please contact Special Gifts Officer Colette Beighley at (800) 253-7297 ext. 213. © 2016 Crescendo Interactive, Inc. Used by permission
Paws With A Cause® | pawswithacause.org | 800-253-7297 | 4646 South Division, Wayland, MI 49348
PAWS + Me P
AWS Dog volunteers are crucial in helping Paws With A Cause place Assistance Dogs with people living with disabilities. Our dedicated volunteers open the doors of possibility for clients and we are beyond grateful for their commitment to our cause. When Ellen and her husband married, she would not have described herself as a “dog person.” She hadn’t grown up with animals and had little interest in having one herself. So, when her husband approached her about getting a puppy, he devised a plan. He suggested raising a future Assistance Dog. It was only a year commitment and it would make a difference in someone else’s life, so Ellen agreed to give it a try.
Seventeen Foster Puppies and two Mama Dogs later, Ellen shares, “I can’t imagine my life without PAWS. I love seeing the dogs develop, watching them learn, and finding out where they end up.” Twelve of the PAWS Puppies Ellen and her family raised have been placed with clients. She says that raising and returning
Ellen with her PAWS Foster Puppy VISTA. VISTA is Assistance Dog SCARLETT’s daughter.
the puppies to PAWS “hurts your heart, but your head says it’s a great thing since someone needs the dog more than you.” One of those puppies was SCARLETT, a sweet yellow Labrador Retriever who became a Mama Dog in PAWS’ rotational breeding program. Ellen adds that SCARLETT “has a calm temperament and takes whatever life throws at her.” Thanks to your generosity,and Ellen’s dedication, SCARLETT was recently placed with PAWS Client, Marguerite, as a Hearing and Service Dog. In addition to being a PAWS Dog Volunteer, Ellen donates her talent as a photographer to PAWS. “I used to practice taking pictures of my puppies in order to put a scrapbook together for the dog’s future client.” After seeing these photos, one of PAWS’ trainers asked Ellen to photograph her kids. Ellen says her photography business just grew from there and “I feel like I owe it to PAWS.” Thank you, Ellen, and all of our PAWS Dog Volunteers, for your generosity, your caring spirit, and for giving your heart to help others experience the independence and quality of life that comes with a PAWS Dog.
Paws With A Cause® 4646 South Division Wayland, MI 49348 pawswithacause.org
OUR MISSION
Paws With A Cause® enhances the independence and quality of life for people with disabilities nationally through custom-trained Assistance Dogs. PAWS® increases awareness of the rights and roles of Assistance Dog Teams through education and advocacy.
YOU CAN GIVE
joy Tax ID #38-2370342 MICS #7506
MAKE A FAMILY’S DREAM COME TRUE
Your generosity matched three PAWS Clients with Assistance Dogs, building Linda’s confidence, giving Anna independence, and empowering Marguerite. But Brittany is still waiting for her Service Dog for children with Autism. Will you give today so Brittany and her family can make more memories together? It’s not too late to give to make this family’s dream come true! Visit pawswithacause.org/givejoy
Brittany