ANKENY, Iowa — PawsAbilities, located in Ankeny, aims to open doors for the special needs community. The business just opened, operating as a doggie daycare offering work to people with special needs, opportunities that they may not get elsewhere.
It all started three years ago with the idea of merging Hope Agency DSM and the dog industry.
“We were looking for something different and just another opportunity for people with special needs to gain skills,” Hope Agency DSM co-founder Amy Wallman Madden said.
Hope Agency DSM is a nonprofit that’s been around for 20 years, helping people with special needs become more independent.
“Employment is really when we see the magic happen,” Wallman Madden said. “That's when we see people understanding that everyone has value. Everyone has gifts and talents to share with their communities.”
PawsAbilities will offer a combination of volunteering, job shadowing and employment opportunities for people with special needs.
“Not only am I excited to interact with customers and the dogs and Hope Agency DSM staff and all my Hope Agency DSM friends,” Hope Agency DSM participant Sheldon Leazer said. “I’m also excited to see what this will bring out in me too.”
Those involved will learn how to understand better dog behaviors and how to train dogs in their care.
“By offering a space where people with special needs can feel safe and supported, we're hoping to build that self-confidence so they can go out and find other community jobs as well,” Wallman Madden said.
PawsAbilities isn’t just relieving busy pet owners, it’s providing purpose too.
“This will make them just feel something that gives them a meaning to keep on going in life,” Hope Agency DSM participant Ashley Gott said.
All of the proceeds raised will go back to Hope Agency DSM and its services.
PawsAbilities is located at 217 South Ankeny Blvd. and is open from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.