A MSAR Dog named Hanna for Sam

 Top to bottom; Hanna chocolate Labradoodle; Sam working with MSAR worker first time in a mall in years; Sam and Hanna meet each other


My girlfriend Lori has a wonderful son named Sam, who is in great need of a service dog this is their story:
Our son Samuel is 13 and he has Autism, severe ADHD and high anxiety. He is a sweet boy with a caring heart and fun sense of humor, but he also has many challenges. He has been unable to leave the house for social outings for a number of years, which has greatly impacted Sam and our family. He has difficulty regulating his emotions (tears, anger, outbursts, meltdowns). He was unable to attend regular public school because of his needs, but in September 2017, started attending a specialized school for a half day. Sam requires a high level of support throughout his day. We have come to realize that Sam required more support than what we were able to provide.

In our search to find ways to help Sam, it was suggested we look into an autism service dog. We found MSAR; Manitoba Search & Rescue, which is an organization that provides and trains elite service dogs for those with disabilities. We felt this would be a chance for a more fulfilling life for Sam and our family. Our application was accepted and a pup that will be a good fit for Sam was born in May 2017. Her name is Hanna and she is a sweet chocolate-colored Labradoodle!!

From MSAR: http://msar.ca/autism/.
There are three major ways a service dog can help, especially with children:
• To help prevent the child from wandering or running away.
• To help with self-soothing during melt-downs. The tactile stimulation, whether by petting, hugging, or having the dog actually lie on the child, can help the child learn the skills of calming themselves.
• Socialization (including serving as a “social bridge”, so as children and adults come over and ask about the dog, the child with autism is prompted to answer).

The process of training both Hanna, and Sam and Hanna as a working team, is extensive and will take approximately 18 months. The type of breed and the training required to be certified, are factors involved for the costs of these special dogs. We put down a $5000 deposit in June 2017, and still have to raise an additional $25,000. Yes, Hanna will cost us $30,000, but to Sam, and our family, this will be life changing.

Hanna will be trained to:
Help Sam calm down and assist with his emotional regulation.
Provide much-needed companionship. Sam has never been able to form any lasting friendships and is very socially isolated – yet finds comfort in the company of others.
Provide support, which will decrease his anxiety, and enable Sam to leave the house and enter the community.

The cost feels overwhelming. We would be very grateful for any help and donations that we receive. We would ask that you please share this page with everyone. Every donation helps and is so deeply appreciated.

We thank you for helping us give the gift of companionship and so much more to our son Sam.

In gratitude,

Josh, Lori and Samuel (along with sisters Rachael and Emma) Lamont