Decades of volunteer service help transform lives
Dave and Sandy Smith | Photo courtesy of Paws With A Cause
For Dave and Sandy Smith, supporting Paws With A Cause (PAWS) has never been about one dog or one volunteer role. What began with workplace donations in the 1980s has grown into four decades of involvement, seven puppies raised and countless hours spent helping PAWS create life-changing partnerships between people and working dogs.
On Sept. 16, PAWS will recognize the Smiths’ longstanding commitment with the 2026 Heart of PAWS Award during the inaugural Tails, Trails & Triumphs event at Indian Trails Camp in Grand Rapids.
The Smiths’ commitment to service began long before their involvement with PAWS. Both grew up watching their parents serve their communities and church, and Sandy’s family raised a puppy for another service dog organization in the 1970s.
Dave and Sandy began donating to PAWS through workplace giving in the 1980s. Years later, friends and fellow PAWS puppy raisers encouraged them to become puppy raisers themselves. In 2016, they raised their first PAWS puppy, Cece Marie.
Since then, they have raised seven PAWS puppies while expanding their involvement throughout the organization. Their service has included mentoring and recruiting new puppy raisers, assisting a PAWS Puppy Club, volunteering with the PAWS Prison Program, transporting dogs, assisting with veterinary care, and serving as PAWS ambassadors and docents. They have also volunteered with Visiting PAWS dogs PAISLEY and ASTRO, and Dave previously served on the PAWS Board of Directors.
For the past four years, the Smiths have also opened their home to two mama dogs as a breeding host home. They have whelped four litters and cared for 24 puppies, navigating the challenges and lessons that come with each new litter.
While being trusted to raise and care for future working dogs has been meaningful, the Smiths say their connection to PAWS extends beyond the dogs themselves. They continue to be inspired by the people who make up the PAWS community, the work the dogs are trained to perform and the community partnerships that make their impact possible.
They have seen how a PAWS working dog can open a world of independence for clients and communities and value the opportunity to play a role in creating those partnerships.
“Giving really does fill our souls,” they shared. “When you volunteer, you get more than you give.”
The Smiths will receive the Heart of PAWS Award at an evening celebrating the broader impact of PAWS working dogs and the people and partnerships behind them. Tails, Trails & Triumphs will support PAWS’ Facility Dog Program, part of the organization’s Animal Assisted Services department. Unlike assistance dogs trained to support one individual, facility dogs work with designated handlers to serve multiple people in hospitals, schools, counseling centers and other community settings.
The event will highlight INDI, a PAWS facility dog working at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Facility dogs like INDI can comfort children undergoing treatment, help families through uncertain moments, encourage patients during rehabilitation and support members of a care team.
“Facility dogs show us that the impact of a working dog reaches far beyond a single person and are much more than a source of comfort. They are skilled working dogs that become valued members of a care team,” said Michele Suchovsky, CEO of Paws With A Cause. “They help patients and families navigate complex medical experiences, support participation in treatment and rehabilitation, and create a sense of calm and normalcy during difficult moments. Through their partnership with healthcare professionals, facility dogs can positively influence the patient experience while helping care teams deliver more compassionate and effective care.”
For Dave and Sandy, seeing those relationships develop is part of what has kept them involved with PAWS for decades. Their volunteer work has given them a deep sense of connection and purpose, while helping support the dogs that go on to make a difference for individuals and communities.
For more information about Tails, Trails & Triumphs, visit https://pawswithacause.org/tails-trails-and-triumphs/.
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