Author: Hailey VanderWilt
At Paws With A Cause, we often say it takes a village to raise a puppy, and sometimes, that village looks a lot like two people, a house full of dogs, and an unshakable commitment to helping others.
Meet Michele and Mike, who’ve been volunteering with PAWS since December 2002. In that time, they’ve raised 20 foster puppies, hosted four mama dogs, welcomed many litters into the world, coached fellow volunteers, and facilitated puppy club meetups like seasoned pros (We’re still trying to figure out how they do it all).
Their story starts like all great dog tales do—in a department store.
“We were walking through Hudson’s with a friend… and out popped a puppy from inside a clothing rack,” Michele remembers.
Spoiler alert: the puppy was not on sale. But a conversation with the puppy raiser, a fellow full-time teacher, led Michele and Mike to realize, hey, maybe we can do this too. And just like that, their PAWS adventure began.
From Special Education to Special Dogs
With a career in special education, Michele was already passionate about helping people with disabilities. PAWS gave them a new way to do just that, only with more fur and slightly more drool.
“I think it goes back to our hearts to help people become more independent,” Michele says. “We love dogs, we’ve always had dogs. But this, this is special.”
Between foster pups, mama dogs, and their own pets, Michele and Mike have enough four-legged friends to form a small (and very adorable) marching band. Their home is part puppy kindergarten, part maternity ward, part cuddle factory, and they wouldn’t have it any other way.
The Great Puppy Withdrawal of Minneapolis
One of Michele’s most memorable moments happened at a work conference in Minneapolis. After a week away from home and away from puppies, she was deep in what she calls “serious puppy withdrawals.”
“I was waiting to cross the street from one hotel to another to go to another workshop at the conference, and I saw a dog with a Paws With A Cause cape on!” Michele remarked.
Naturally, she crossed the street to meet the dog’s handler. As fate would have it, the dog’s name was BUBBLES, and her handler was a PAWS client from Florida. Even hundreds of miles from home, PAWS connections have a way of finding each other. Michele and the handler connected and have kept in touch ever since, living proof that the PAWS family stretches far beyond Michigan.
“I Could Never Give Them Up!”
If Michele and Mike had a dollar for every time someone said this to them, they could fund an entire litter.
“You just put them in a special place in your heart and know you’re doing it for someone else,” Michele says.
Their advice? Talk to a volunteer. Ask the questions. Air the doubts. Because the truth is, no one starts off sure they can do it, but everyone who tries ends up amazed at what’s possible.
6 Ways to Get Involved (Without Raising 20 Puppies… Unless You Want To)
Think you can’t volunteer with PAWS? Think again. Michele and Mike were working full-time when they started. You don’t need a fenced-in yard, or a PhD in dog training, just a willingness to learn and love.
Here’s how you can make a difference:
🐾 1. Raise a Puppy
Welcome a future working dog into your home. Provide love, basic training, and socialization—and enjoy endless tail wags in return.
🐾 2. Host a Breeding Dog
Open your home to a PAWS mama or papa dog and help bring the next generation of life-changing pups into the world.
🐾 3. Support the Canine Care Team
Help keep our dogs happy and healthy by refilling dishes, tidying kennels, and lending a hand wherever it’s needed most.
🐾 4. Canine Enrichment
Give belly rubs, play with dogs, and other enrichment activities that brighten a dog’s day (and yours).
🐾 5. Drive for PAWS
Transport dogs to and from their ever-important appointments.
🐾 6. Volunteer at Events or Fundraise
Join us at PAWS events or host your own! From our signature fundraisers to hosting a donation drive, the paw-sibilities are endless.
Final Thoughts (And Possibly Dog Hair)
For Michele and Mike, volunteering with PAWS is more than something they do; it’s who they are. It’s raising a puppy knowing you’ll one day give them up so someone else can gain freedom. It’s staying up all night with a mama dog. It’s finding community through fur, fun, and a few well-timed accidents on the carpet.
So, if you’ve ever said, “I could never,” we encourage you to take the advice of puppy raising pro’s:
“Talk to a raiser. You’ll learn that you can.”
Ready to join the volunteer pack?
Click here to get involved with PAWS.
