Optimist Club Welcomes Nicole Meadowcroft of Custom Canines

The Sauk Prairie Optimist speaker on October 23rd was Nicole Meadowcroft of Custom Canines, a service dog academy.  Accompanied by two canines, Reiker and Whisper and friend and volunteer Leann Vick, the program was explained.  Meadowcroft started this business partly because she has a vision disability and also knew that guide dogs were badly needed and requested by many people with disabilities.  Custom Canines is a completely volunteer organization which places service dogs with people of disabilities ranging from those with PTSD and autism to first responders.  It takes two years to train a dog; it costs $25,000 to train a dog to placement. Guide dogs for the blind take the longest to train. All dogs being trained stay with volunteers.  The dogs are placed for free. Meadowcraft said it takes 6-8 months for the dog and its owner to become a team.  Right now there are 50 dogs in training, 137 dog/owner teams have been connected since January of 2011, and there are 150 applications in waiting for those who would like a service dog.  For more information please go to their website custom https://www.customcanines.org . 

The Sauk Prairie Optimist Club meets every Wednesday, the first Wednesday at noon at the Blue Spoon Café and the remaining Wednesdays at 7 a.m. at the Blue Spoon Café.  Everyone Welcome!