Alora is a bright, loving little girl, but the past 2 years have been incredibly hard. She has recently been diagnosed with chronic ADHD, sensory processing disorder, neurodivergence (pending autism diagnosis), everyday life for her is a constant challenge.

Up until about four months ago, she woke every 30–45 minutes during the night, and even now it can take over three hours to fall asleep. Her days are filled with intense meltdowns, sensory struggles with food and objects, and challenges with emotional regulation including excessive eating and drinking when she is overwhelmed, longing for our family dog when out and distressed, Public outings and daycare have been a big obstacle for Alora, some days at daycare even needing to be completely separated from the rest of the class in order to calm down, even simple routines can become overwhelming because of overstimulation and anxiety causing her to be distressed and hard to regulate herself.

Through it all, we’ve noticed something beautiful — she thrives around animals. Our family dog of 5months old already helps her calm down during difficult moments and she has a deep love for dogs and horses. This has inspired us to explore training our dog to provide targeted emotional support tailored to Alora and to introduce horse therapy, which we are confident she will respond to wonderfully.

Unfortunately until we get a formal diagnosis regarding autism, NDIS do not cover and support her other diagnosis as disabilities leaving us with no support — we are paying out-of-pocket for the therapies she needs:

• Occupational therapy

• Sensory therapy

• Dietician support

• insomnia support

How the Dog Training Will Help Our Daughter

Training our dog to provide targeted support will give our daughter:

• Calm during meltdowns – deep pressure, comforting presence, and the ability to fetch support toys or items she needs when overwhelmed.

• Reduced anxiety in public – a safe anchor in busy environments, helping her feel more confident and secure.

• Improved emotional regulation – learning coping strategies and feeling less overwhelmed by sensory input.

• Better sleep – a predictable, comforting presence to help her fall asleep faster and wake less during the night.

• Support for daily routines – cues to settle, take breaks, or engage in calming activities.

• Increased engagement with therapy – pairing the dog with occupational therapy, sensory therapy, and horse therapy to reinforce skills.

• A sense of independence and confidence – working alongside her dog to navigate her world safely.

We are sharing our story because we want to give our daughter the tools and support she deserves. Every donation will go directly toward her therapies, training our dog, and animal-assisted support, helping her feel calmer, safer, and more in control of her emotions.

❤️ Even sharing this campaign means the world to us. Thank you for helping us give her a chance to thrive.