A Service Dog For Chase
Donation protected
The reason we need help is that Chase was very appropriately named! When we received the surprise diagnosis of Down syndrome at birth, the last thing we thought we would be doing was chasing him non-stop. The problem is that he is super fast, little, does not respond to his name or “Stop”, and does not understand the dangers of traffic or water. We are so scared that he will get hurt or worse.
A service dog will be LIFE CHANGING for Chase because it will help him stay safe as well as enable him to be more independent. This service dog is going to be his best friend, by his side 24/7 helping him stay safe, learn to self soothe, and give him the confidence to engage with his peers.
Every little bit towards our goal helps more than you will ever know. Thank you so so much for reading our story!
Tampa Bay K-9 Solutions, Inc. is an amazing local service dog training facility who can train a service dog to meet Chase’s multiple support needs. They are donating the dog, but the training of this magnitude will take minimum 18 months and is extremely expensive ($20K). And, of course, insurance does not cover a dime.
We are working hard to raise the money as fast as possible. We need $5K within a month in order to get a puppy from a current litter of Maranatha Kennels. This will mean we can get the training started ASAP and are that much closer to pairing the dog with Chase.
The goal will be for the service dog to help Chase in the following ways:
1. Running – Chase frequently pulls Houdini-style escapes and runs as fast as he can wherever he wants in all situations – home, school, mall, park, beach, etc. A service dog will bark when Chase crosses a pre-established perimeter (in any location indoors or outdoors) and stay with him to draw more attention to him.
2. Getting Lost – If Chase gets lost, he will not make any noise. He will not respond to searchers and will likely keep moving rather than stay in one place. A service dog will respond to calls and stay with Chase until they are found.
3. Sleep – Chase has major sleep issues. He cannot turn his mind or his body off and requires constant full-body deep pressure from a parent for 2+ hours to fall asleep at night. Also, he wakes up 5-6 times a night and cries at his door or wanders around the house. A service dog will apply the same pressure and help Chase learn to stay in bed, fall asleep more independently, and hopefully sleep more soundly all night.
4. Stimming – Chase engages in repetitive behaviors, such as toy shaking, hand flapping, and teeth grinding, especially when he is overstimulated and stressed. A service dog will respond to those cues and help Chase break out of the loop and help Chase engage in more appropriate play.
5. Falling – Chase is a very fast runner, but his gait is immature. He has muscle tone issues that affect his whole body, which throws him off balance and makes him prone to falling. A service dog will always be running right alongside so Chase can catch himself and hopefully avoid serious injuries.
6. Throwing – Chase has a hard time playing appropriately with toys. Instead he throws everything, especially when stressed. A service dog can redirect him to play fetch or run around or tug with a rope.
7. Stress / Anxiety – Chase gets quickly overwhelmed in crowded and loud situations. We currently cannot attend birthday parties, go to movies, or participate in any large events. A dog will be a constant calming presence and will apply deep pressure or help Chase remove himself from the situation as needed to reduce his stress.
Who is Chase?
Chase is a very smart and very funny 5-year old boy, who happens to have Down syndrome (Ds), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Apraxia of Speech, Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), and a few other diagnoses. And he has been our world from the start!
He has been a warrior from the very beginning, battling through surgery for duodenal atresia at only 15 days old and closure of a heart murmur at 2 years old among other surgeries. But despite these early challenges, Chase has been active politically from a young age. One of his dearest causes has been Occupy North Pole where he protested to free the magical reindeer.
Nowadays, Chase is strong and loves running, swimming, throwing, dancing, and climbing.
Chase is still essentially non-verbal, but can read above grade level and loves showing off his smarts on the iPad. He goes to speech therapy twice a week and gets ABA and occupational therapy at school. He has been recently starting to sing a few songs too! His current favorites are Wheels on the Bus, Old MacDonald, and Baa Baa Black Sheep.
We know that Chase is going to smash barriers and achieve amazing things in his lifetime. We strongly suspect a long career in the MLB given his predisposition to run and throw everything he can get his hands on with laser accuracy. Did we mention he’s a lefty?
Who are We?
We are the Benson Bunch! We are Jerrod and Kris and our kids are from left to right, Cade, Cali, and Chase. We are a fun-loving, slightly crazy, constantly running family living in sunny Florida just outside of Tampa Bay. We both work full-time and the kids are committed to destroying the house on a daily basis. We are guessing that the service dog will be the most well behaved of the bunch!
Our only goal every evening is to wear the kids out enough for them to sleep through the night. A service dog will fit right in with our super active family and he or she will live with us in his/her retirement. Your gift today towards a service dog will still be helping Chase and our family a decade from now. And we could not be more grateful.
THANK YOU FOR READING OUR STORY!
Getting this service dog will enable Chase to be more independent safely, reduce his stress, increase his confidence, and encourage him to reach for all of his dreams. This is nothing short of life changing for him.
Thank you so much! Every little bit helps. We really appreciate all of your support!
Sincerely,
Jerrod, Kris, Chase, Cali, and Cade
aka The Benson Bunch
A service dog will be LIFE CHANGING for Chase because it will help him stay safe as well as enable him to be more independent. This service dog is going to be his best friend, by his side 24/7 helping him stay safe, learn to self soothe, and give him the confidence to engage with his peers.
Every little bit towards our goal helps more than you will ever know. Thank you so so much for reading our story!
Tampa Bay K-9 Solutions, Inc. is an amazing local service dog training facility who can train a service dog to meet Chase’s multiple support needs. They are donating the dog, but the training of this magnitude will take minimum 18 months and is extremely expensive ($20K). And, of course, insurance does not cover a dime.
We are working hard to raise the money as fast as possible. We need $5K within a month in order to get a puppy from a current litter of Maranatha Kennels. This will mean we can get the training started ASAP and are that much closer to pairing the dog with Chase.
The goal will be for the service dog to help Chase in the following ways:
1. Running – Chase frequently pulls Houdini-style escapes and runs as fast as he can wherever he wants in all situations – home, school, mall, park, beach, etc. A service dog will bark when Chase crosses a pre-established perimeter (in any location indoors or outdoors) and stay with him to draw more attention to him.
2. Getting Lost – If Chase gets lost, he will not make any noise. He will not respond to searchers and will likely keep moving rather than stay in one place. A service dog will respond to calls and stay with Chase until they are found.
3. Sleep – Chase has major sleep issues. He cannot turn his mind or his body off and requires constant full-body deep pressure from a parent for 2+ hours to fall asleep at night. Also, he wakes up 5-6 times a night and cries at his door or wanders around the house. A service dog will apply the same pressure and help Chase learn to stay in bed, fall asleep more independently, and hopefully sleep more soundly all night.
4. Stimming – Chase engages in repetitive behaviors, such as toy shaking, hand flapping, and teeth grinding, especially when he is overstimulated and stressed. A service dog will respond to those cues and help Chase break out of the loop and help Chase engage in more appropriate play.
5. Falling – Chase is a very fast runner, but his gait is immature. He has muscle tone issues that affect his whole body, which throws him off balance and makes him prone to falling. A service dog will always be running right alongside so Chase can catch himself and hopefully avoid serious injuries.
6. Throwing – Chase has a hard time playing appropriately with toys. Instead he throws everything, especially when stressed. A service dog can redirect him to play fetch or run around or tug with a rope.
7. Stress / Anxiety – Chase gets quickly overwhelmed in crowded and loud situations. We currently cannot attend birthday parties, go to movies, or participate in any large events. A dog will be a constant calming presence and will apply deep pressure or help Chase remove himself from the situation as needed to reduce his stress.
Who is Chase?
Chase is a very smart and very funny 5-year old boy, who happens to have Down syndrome (Ds), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Apraxia of Speech, Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), and a few other diagnoses. And he has been our world from the start!
He has been a warrior from the very beginning, battling through surgery for duodenal atresia at only 15 days old and closure of a heart murmur at 2 years old among other surgeries. But despite these early challenges, Chase has been active politically from a young age. One of his dearest causes has been Occupy North Pole where he protested to free the magical reindeer.
Nowadays, Chase is strong and loves running, swimming, throwing, dancing, and climbing.
Chase is still essentially non-verbal, but can read above grade level and loves showing off his smarts on the iPad. He goes to speech therapy twice a week and gets ABA and occupational therapy at school. He has been recently starting to sing a few songs too! His current favorites are Wheels on the Bus, Old MacDonald, and Baa Baa Black Sheep.
We know that Chase is going to smash barriers and achieve amazing things in his lifetime. We strongly suspect a long career in the MLB given his predisposition to run and throw everything he can get his hands on with laser accuracy. Did we mention he’s a lefty?
Who are We?
We are the Benson Bunch! We are Jerrod and Kris and our kids are from left to right, Cade, Cali, and Chase. We are a fun-loving, slightly crazy, constantly running family living in sunny Florida just outside of Tampa Bay. We both work full-time and the kids are committed to destroying the house on a daily basis. We are guessing that the service dog will be the most well behaved of the bunch!
Our only goal every evening is to wear the kids out enough for them to sleep through the night. A service dog will fit right in with our super active family and he or she will live with us in his/her retirement. Your gift today towards a service dog will still be helping Chase and our family a decade from now. And we could not be more grateful.
THANK YOU FOR READING OUR STORY!
Getting this service dog will enable Chase to be more independent safely, reduce his stress, increase his confidence, and encourage him to reach for all of his dreams. This is nothing short of life changing for him.
Thank you so much! Every little bit helps. We really appreciate all of your support!
Sincerely,
Jerrod, Kris, Chase, Cali, and Cade
aka The Benson Bunch
Organizer
Kris Girard Benson
Organizer
Clearwater, FL