OccuPaws Guide Dog Association

Thank You, Rotary Club of Madison West Middleton!

A heartfelt thank you to the Rotary Club of Madison – West Middleton for inviting OccuPaws Guide Dog Association to share our story and the life-changing work we do in providing guide dogs to people who are blind or visually impaired.

Opportunities like these are invaluable. They allow us to raise awareness about the growing need for guide dogs, educate our community about the journey from playful puppy to trusted guide, and, most importantly, share the incredible stories of how guide dogs have transformed the lives of our clients—restoring independence, building confidence, and opening doors to new possibilities.

Community outreach is a vital part of our mission, and we are grateful for organizations like Rotary that help us spread the word and inspire others to get involved.

Would your organization like to learn more about OccuPaws?

We would love to speak at your service club, school, business, church, or community organization. Whether you're looking for a guest speaker, an educational presentation, or a community event, we'd be delighted to share the inspiring journeys of our clients, explain how guide dogs change lives, and show how your organization can become part of this life-changing mission.

To schedule a speaking engagement or learn more about OccuPaws, contact us at [email protected] or visit OccuPaws.org.

Together, we can create greater awareness and help more people discover the life-changing impact of a guide dog.

Thank you again, Rotary Club of Madison – West Middleton, for your warm hospitality and your commitment to serving our community!

OccuPaws - Providing Assistance to the Visually Impaired

By Joseph Valenta, DVM

At a recent meeting of The Rotary Club of Madison West Middleton, Kassel Matushak, Treasuer
of OccuPaws, told the story of how her organization assists the visually impaired, also
introducing the memebers to a couple of four-legged assistants.
OccuPaws Guide Dog Association, a Wisconsin-based nonprofit, breeds, raises, and trains
Labrador Retrievers and Standard Poodles to serve as guide dogs for people who are blind or
visually impaired and places them at no cost to the people who receive them. The organization
holds dual accreditation from the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) and Assistance
Dogs International (ADI), placing it among a select group of guide dog schools held to the
highest international standards for training, health, and welfare.
Unlike many guide dog schools, OccuPaws operates without a central campus or kennel facility.
Instead, its dogs are raised and trained within the homes and communities of the volunteers
who care for them. This approach keeps dogs socialized in real-world environments from the
very beginning. Each year, the organization places approximately six to eight guide dog teams,
pairing a fully trained dog with an individual who needs them. Each team is created by matching
a dog’s personality and ability to the needs of the handler.
A guide dog& #39;s job goes far beyond walking beside its handler. These dogs are trained to stop at
curbs and stairs, navigate around obstacles like low-hanging branches and other hazards a cane
would never detect and make independent decisions to keep their handler safe, even when
that means disobeying a command. That skill, known as "intelligent disobedience," is part of
what separates a guide dog from a well-behaved pet. For the people who receive them, the
impact is profound.
Ruth Winans, a guide dog recipient, described what it was like navigating the world with a
white cane before she was partnered with her dog, Molly: "While using a white cane, I once
heard a stranger shout from across the street, threatening to shoot me — a frightening
reminder of how vulnerable I felt. With Molly at my side, that fear has been replaced by
confidence. I walk comfortably and securely, no longer feeling like a target." Winans added that
the impact extends well beyond mobility: "OccuPaws does more than provide guide dogs —
they restore independence, dignity, and confidence." She said she no longer just moves
through the world — she lives in it, with renewed freedom and hope.
Every dog that graduates from OccuPaws& #39; program represents the work of dozens of
volunteers: puppy raisers who welcome a young dog into their home for a time commitment of
about 4 months and the puppies rotate between different raisers then off to professional

trainers who prepare the dogs for their working role, and board members who keep the
organization running. That community-driven model is part of what makes the organization& #39;s
mission possible without charging recipients a cent. Guide dogs typically cost tens of thousands
of dollars to breed, raise, and train, a cost OccuPaws absorbs entirely through donations,
grants, and the volunteer hours of its supporters.
[Editor’s Note: Josepth Valenta, author of the foregoing article, is a veterinarian, who operates
Petcare Clinic in Cross Plains. Dr. Valenta has been a Rotarian for more than fifty years].

Abby Benbow Andrew T. Drake Bill Mowbray Connie Fish James L. Zirbel

🎮 A New Player Has Entered the Game! 🐾

No green dinosaur here—just one adorable black Labrador with a big mission ahead!

Meet GDiT Yoshi, our newest Guide Dog in Training from the Assistance Dogs International (ADI) Breeding Cooperative.

Inspired by the beloved video game character, this Yoshi is embarking on an adventure of his own. Over the coming months, he'll be unlocking new skills, earning experience points, and leveling up through puppy training, socialization, and real-world adventures.

His final quest? Becoming a guide dog who helps someone who is blind or visually impaired navigate life with greater confidence and independence.

The adventure has just begun, and we can't wait to watch Yoshi level up every step of the way.

🐩 Double the Curls. Double the Sass. Double the Fun! 🐩

Say hello to Yara and Yola, the newest recruits to join the OccuPaws family!

These two Standard Poodle sisters have arrived from Purely Poodles in Muncie, Indiana, and they're already proving that poodles don't just walk into a room — they make an entrance.

Known for their intelligence, athleticism, and larger-than-life personalities, Yara and Yola are ready to turn their boundless energy and curiosity into something truly life-changing. Over the coming months, they'll begin learning the skills that could one day help provide independence, confidence, and freedom to a person with vision loss.

Welcome to the OccuPaws family, Yara and Yola! We have a feeling life just got a little curlier.

🐩 Happy 1st Birthday, Ozzy! 🐩

Today we're celebrating Ozzy, our curly-haired gentleman who's officially turning ONE!

As a Standard Poodle, Ozzy naturally believes he's the smartest dog in the room... and honestly, he might not be wrong. He's currently showing off those brains in our Paws Forward program, where he's trading puppy zoomies for impressive skills and proving that behind all those fabulous curls is a future life-changer.

Whether he's mastering new lessons, charming everyone he meets, or simply reminding us that poodles are equal parts elegance and goofball, Ozzy continues to make us smile every day.

Here's wishing you a birthday filled with extra treats, plenty of playtime, and a fresh groom worthy of your poodle status.

BRAT FRY AT THE SHOE BOX - SUNDAY. JUL 19 - THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

🐾 PAWSITIVE NEWS – Real Stories. Real Impact. 🐾

What does it feel like to reclaim the freedom you thought you had lost?

In this month's Pawsitive Pawsletter client spotlight, discover how Autumn, an OccuPaws guide dog, helped Mary regain the confidence to travel, explore, and embrace life's everyday moments once again.

Read how one life-changing partnership inspired a heartfelt decision to give back—creating a full circle of independence that will touch lives for years to come.

Read the full story in our July Pawsitive Pawsletter:
👉 https://conta.cc/4vGQip0

Then visit occupaws.org to learn how you can volunteer, donate, become a puppy raiser, or support our mission and help create more life-changing guide dog partnerships.

Love stories like this? Stay connected with OccuPaws! Subscribe to the Pawsitive Pawsletter and receive inspiring stories, puppy updates, and exclusive videos delivered straight to your inbox each month.

👉 https://occupaws.org/newsletter-signup/

🐾💗 Meet the Winsome W-Litter! 💗🐾

The OccuPaws family just got a little bigger! Please join us in welcoming GDiT Winnie and GDiT Willa—the adorable W-litter and two sweet Labrador sisters who arrived today from Piccadilly Labradors in Lansing, Michigan.

Their journey is just beginning, but their future is full of possibility. Over the coming months, Winnie and Willa will learn, grow, and experience the world with the help of dedicated puppy raisers, trainers, and volunteers as they prepare for careers changing lives.

Every future guide dog starts somewhere, and today marks the first paw prints of an exciting adventure for the W-litter. We can't wait to watch these sisters grow, celebrate their milestones, and cheer them on every step of the way.

Welcome to Wisconsin and welcome to the OccuPaws family, Winnie and Willa!

🎉🐾 Three Cheers for the "J" Trio! 🐾🎉

Jasper, Jelly, and Jingle have all successfully passed their harness training evaluations! What an incredible milestone for these three talented pups.

Passing a harness training evaluation is a significant milestone, recognizing that each dog has the qualities needed to be considered for the final stage of guide dog training. It reflects the months of dedication from their puppy raisers, trainers, and everyone who has helped shape these remarkable dogs along the way.

And there's more exciting news from the J-litter! Their brother, Jersey, passed his harness evaluation earlier and is already in North Carolina with GDMI Jennifer, where he has begun his harness training.

A heartfelt thank you to the incredible puppy raisers who opened their homes, shared their daily lives, and invested countless hours in helping these puppies grow into confident, capable young dogs. Your patience, commitment, and love have helped lay the foundation for their success, and this milestone is one you should be proud to celebrate too.

Congratulations to Jasper, Jelly, Jingle, and Jersey! We are incredibly proud of all you've accomplished.

🐾✈️ Hey everyone... Vader here!

Yesterday, I traded cheese curds for the Rockies and officially flew to Colorado to begin my service dog training with Canine Partners of the Rockies!

Before I start my new adventure, I have one very important job...

💙 Thank you, OccuPaws!

For the past two months, you've loved me, cared for me, spoiled me (just the right amount!), and given me the very best start a puppy could ever ask for. From my very first tail wag to my first big adventure, you've been there every step of the way.

Now it's my turn to keep learning so I can one day be a steady source of comfort, confidence, and support for the person I'll proudly serve.

I have to admit... I'm a little curious about Colorado.

I wonder if Colorado's winters can outwit Wisconsin's... I guess I'm about to find out!

Until then, I'll be making new friends, learning new skills, and trying not to embarrass myself on my first day of school.

Thanks for cheering me on. I'll do my very best to make everyone proud!

With puppy love,
Vader 🐾💙

🐾 Join OccuPaws Guide Dog Association for a fun-filled day at our Crafts for Paws Outdoor Market! 🐾

Browse unique handmade treasures, shop from talented local artisans and vendors, and enjoy a relaxing day at the park. While you're here, stop by to meet some of our adorable guide dogs in training and discover how they're preparing for a future of changing lives.

📅 Sunday, July 12
🕙 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
📍 Meyer Oak Grove Park
780 Phillips Blvd, Sauk City, WI

With 40+ craft and vendor booths, delicious concessions, exciting raffle baskets, free admission, and free parking, there's something for everyone to enjoy!

Bring your family, invite your friends, and spend the day supporting local makers while helping OccuPaws provide independence, confidence, and companionship through guide dogs.

Shop local. Meet future guide dogs. Change lives.