Rebecca Pacter and Bear love exploring Missouri’s caves and running 5Ks
Credit: Dogs Inc. (2)
NEED TO KNOW
- Rebecca Pacter met her guide dog Bear in August 2025 through Dogs Inc.
- The teacher says Bear has brought her more independence, especially at night and with her cave exploration hobby
- Bear helps Pacter navigate caves independently and has become a beloved fixture in her classroom
Rebecca Pacter, who became legally blind at 17, enjoys exploring caves in the U.S. and does it with ease alongside her service dog, Bear.
Cave exploration is a part of Pacter’s full life. The 24-year-old is a talented musician and a family and consumer science teacher in Nevada, Missouri. She also enjoys running 5Ks and does it all with Bear by her side.
“The bond between her and me is immaculate,” Pacter tells PEOPLE about the 3-year-old black Labrador retriever.
Bear and Pacter are such a pair it’s hard to believe they didn’t meet until a year ago, in August 2025. While Pacter lost most of her vision at 17, she waited until she was out of college to apply for a guide dog.
“Taking care of a dog is a lot of work. But I always knew. When I lost my vision at 17, I knew I wanted one when that happened, but I knew after college was the right time,” Pacter says.
At 3, Pacter lost vision in her left eye following a stroke. Then at 17, when she was a junior in high school, she had another stroke, which affected her right retinal artery and left her legally blind.
Pacter admits the change was initially overwhelming and uncomfortable, and it forced her to spend her spring break at an eye hospital. The vision loss also temporarily shook her confidence.
Credit: Dogs Inc.
“At the time I was applying to perform with the National Youth Symphony at Carnegie Hall in New York City. And at first I was like, ‘I just can’t do this. I can’t do that.’ I was planning to go to college; I couldn’t do that. At first, my life felt like it stopped,” she recalls.
“But then I was like, why am I letting this stop me?”
Pacter didn’t let it stop her. Before Bear arrived in her life, Pacter applied for the National Youth Symphony and was accepted, performing at Carnegie Hall. She went to college and is now working on her master’s degree.
“I just kept going with my life; I didn’t let it stop me, and it’s incredible. I’m thankful to be where I am,” the teacher notes.
At the end of her undergraduate schooling, Pacter felt prepared to add a guide dog to her life. She applied with Dogs Inc., and the organization matched her after she finished school.
“And that was a wonderful call; I was awaiting that call for a long time,” Pacter says, adding that she remembers the day she first met Bear, “like it was yesterday.”
Credit: Dogs Inc.
And while Pacter led a rich, expansive life before Bear’s arrival, the guide dog’s companionship and skills have added even more independence, confidence, and joy to her world.
“I like to say a lot; she’s been the light. I have zero vision at night. Having her really let me get out of the house a lot more,” Pacter says.
Bear’s light has also allowed Pacter to spend more time enjoying her hobby of cave exploration. Before Bear, Pacter could go through a cave only when someone else was available to go with her. With the Lab, Pacter can explore caves on her and Bear’s schedule.
Credit: Dogs Inc.
“The first time I did a cave with Bear was actually on a field trip with some of my students. We went to the Cave at Silver Dollar City. It was the first time that I had completely just gone through it alone. And it felt really just amazing, the independence. I didn’t have to have somebody’s elbow the entire time,” Pacter shares.
Since then, Bear has continued to take to cave exploration with ease, leading Pacter through caves “like she’s done it 100 times.”
This is just one example of how Bear has brought even more energy to Pacter’s life. Over the past year, Bear has become a beloved and respected figure in Pacter’s classroom. The canine has her headshot in the school’s yearbook and a personal ID badge for the facility. Bear has also joined her handler on several 5Ks, running right alongside Pacter and helping her manage the crowds.
Credit: Dogs Inc.
“She’s just a part of me. She’s just become who I am,” Pacter says of her past year with Bear. Her family has noticed too, telling Pacter she is “happier” than ever because she has “so much more independence.”
Pacter stresses that while Bear is working as her guide dog when they are out in the world, Bear also gets plenty of downtime to do whatever she wants. Some of her favorite activities include excitedly greeting friends, swimming in pools, and having fun.
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Overall, she hopes her and Bear’s story inspires others to strive for what they want and not be limited by doubts. It’s also nice to have a chance to celebrate Bear.
“She’s amazing, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without her. I feel so much better because of her,” Pacter says of the dog.
To learn more about Dogs Inc. and their work with service dogs, visit the organization’s website.
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