Toads and Dogs: An Unlikely Pairing
Toads and dogs aren’t the usual pair, but PAWS has recently partnered with a new startup called Toad Opener™ as a way to create a cleaner and more inclusive workplace!
Toad Opener™ offers a brand new, 3D printed hands-free “foot-door-opener” which allows people to open doors with just their foot- avoiding the need to touch dirty and potentially infectious door handles in bathrooms and entrances/exits. Toad Opener™ generously donated several units to PAWS at both our Royal Oak and Wayland facilities as an effort to keep our campus cleaner. In turn, PAWS is researching ways for the device to be accessible for people with disabilities!
We are so grateful for this partnership and to co-founders Nick Moritz and Clif Wells for this innovation. Our staff already appreciate the ability to use just their foot to open our bathrooms and our trainers and research team are working their tails off to find possible ways to adapt the product in order for an Assistance Dog to be able to use it. You can imagine Nick’s surprise when we first approached him, but he was all-in and had the units installed for us in days!
“From just a simple dog training perspective – it’ll take 6+ months to get some basic ideas of what is possible and not – and even that’ll depend on the dogs. It’s a slow process to unravel and build up a progression plan to train the dog,” said Tony, Canine Production Manager.
However, Nick and his partner are excited about the rapid growth of their product. “We think that our product is actually saving lives. It doesn’t just fight Covid19, but many other transmittable sicknesses like the flu- not to mention the obvious appeal of not having to touch dirty bathroom handles!”
Toad Opener™ appreciates your support of the PAWS mission of accessibility for all, and in solidarity are offering a 20% discount off their MSRP price of $50 each to those who want to offer convenience, confidence, and assurance to their employees, clients, and guests that comes with easily opening doors, especially in the bathroom, with just their foot!
Contact Nick at: moritzni@toadopener.com and mention this article for the discount!
Learn more about their product at www.toadopener.com and watch their Metro Detroit TV Station WXYZ’s story on them here.