Causes: Animal-Related, Animals, Centers to Support the Independence of Specific Populations, Human Services, Public & Societal Benefit

Mission: OccuPaws is a non-profit 501 ( c ) (3) volunteer based organization that raises, trains and places guide dogs with Wisconsin's blind and visually impaired community through an in home training program at NO CHARGE to their clients. Occupaws is solely funded by individual and business donations along with special fund raising events.

Results: 58 working teams in the upper midwest

Target demographics: OccuPaws serves blind and visually impaired adults of Wisconsin and contiguous states thru an in-home training program.

Geographic areas served: Wisconsin

Programs: Occupaws guide dog association acquires, raises, trains, and places guide dogs with visually impaired adults in wisconsin and contiguous state residents. In 2020, we placed six adult guide dogs and provided review training to 48 teams that received dogs in previous years. We also spoke to hundreds of people at service groups, scout meetings, businesses, 4-h groups, humane societies, the wisconsin council for the blind, and other organizations about visual impairments and guide dogs. We have also started a program at the Oxford Federal Correctional Camp and the New Lisbon State Correctional Facility where we have inmates raise and train puppies, much like regular puppy raisers. We conduct weekly classes for the 28 inmates currently raising puppies for us. The program is called "PawsForward. "