“Working with the rescue saved my life.” Cherryland member Kathy McCarthy knows a thing or two about saving lives. The U.S. Navy veteran moved to northern Michigan roughly 30 years ago and has spent the last 12 years heavily involved with H.A.N.D.D.S. To The Rescue (Helping Abused, Neglected, Disabled, Displaced Souls), a nonprofit animal rescue.

H.A.N.D.D.S. is a volunteer-based rescue that places dogs in loving foster homes until they find their forever families. Kathy says, “It’s more of a normal life for the dogs. I think it’s a lot better for them, mentally.” In her 12 years with the organization, she went from volunteer foster to board member. But she was inspired to do more when two litters of puppies who had been adopted all ended up back in foster homes.

“Everybody’s excuse was, ‘we couldn’t get any help, and we couldn’t afford training,’ so I went to animal behavior college, got my certificate, and started doing dirt-cheap puppy classes,” explained Kathy. But she didn’t want to offer just a six-week course. She wanted to provide families with a way to work and grow with their dogs continually.

That’s when she opened Peaceful Paws Dog Training. Her program is levels-based and offers owners flexibility instead of set classes, on set dates, with no exceptions. Kathy says, “That way, if they have a dance recital Wednesday night, they’ve got Thursday night they can come. It’s more supportive for owners.”

“Once owners attend an orientation, they can come to any or all of the level one classes. Puppies and younger dogs tend to progress to higher levels more quickly, whereas dogs with anxiety might take longer to get out of level one,” explained Kathy. Specific skills define each level, and Kathy guides owners and their dogs through learning those skills. Simply put, Kathy says, “I like to play with dogs. I’ve got the best job in the world!”

As a foster mom to dozens of animals over the years, Peaceful Paws has also given her the opportunity to continue helping the animals she’s already invested in. “We get a lot of our own dogs, fosters in here, which is good to see them and their progress. Bailey was one of my fosters,” Kathy pointed out during an all-level training session.

Bailey, a level two, doesn’t get along great with other dogs. She attended a session with Maggie, a level four. Kathy says, “It’s good for Maggie to be here with Bailey. It teaches her that mom will keep her safe no matter what. It’s building a relationship between the owner and the dog. If you’ve got a good relationship and good trust factor, your dog will do anything for you.”

And Kathy would do just about anything for these dogs. After years in the Navy, moving away from her home in Wyoming, and working several different jobs, rediscovering her childhood passion for animals changed Kathy’s life. She says, “I had gone through a big depression, and working and helping, doing something outside myself, saved me. Then trying to save other people saved me even further. It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Click here for more information on H.A.N.D.D.S. To The Rescue. Click here for more information on Peaceful Paws Dog Training.