A Service Dog For Gale

Hi! This is Gale. Gale will be 5 years old in February. He is the happiest, snuggliest little boy you will ever meet.

Gale has autism, ARFID, and eosinophilic esophagitis. It's just part of his life. He is presented with a set of difficulties he's working hard to overcome. On a daily basis, he works harder than most of his peers to learn and communicate.

Communication is hugely difficult for him. He's only recently developed a few words. He knows some sign language and also uses an AAC device to communicate in a limited capacity.

But the world is an overwhelming place when your brain is actively working against you. The anxiety of new things, loud noises, changes in routine, and too much stuff can be extremely hard to handle. Sometimes that means he doesn't know what to do with his body and can result in banging his head against the floor or running away.

Despite that, he is an incredibly smart and active kid. He's always climbing things he shouldn't, figuring out door locks, and finding new things to get into...

Alright, let's get to the point. Now that you know a bit about Gale, the big question is what am I asking for?

I'm trying to raise funds to get him a service dog. Why? During his hospital visits for biopsies, EEGs, and ECT, he's met a few therapy dogs and every single time the connection he forms with them astounds me. This last dog he met (named Lemon) was the biggest calming influence on him, and he laughed forever just petting her head and staring into her soul.

I truly believe an autism service dog could be life-changing for Gale. From deep pressure therapy to redirecting from self-harm, alerting/blocking when he's trying to climb something he shouldn't, alerting if he manages to get out my very high-security doors, and also daily living of being able to take both kids out and about. I currently can't right now. Neither boy will happily stay in a stroller or cart, and with two kids that elope and run off, it's impossible for me to go by myself. A service dog can provide another set of eyes and alert if Gale decides he sees something exciting or gets overwhelmed and runs off.

Not to mention the benefits of having a long-term companion he can bond with and eventually (hopefully) learn to take care of.

I don't like asking for things, but this is one thing I don't think I can do on my own. So, I'm asking the community on behalf of Gale to help get him a companion. It'll take 2+ years and cost a lot of money to get the right dog that fits in our family. Not to mention the cost of having to travel to Utah and stay for a week at the end of this to pair with the dog and bring them home.

If you find it in your heart to donate anything, just know Gale and his entire family are grateful. Thank you for reading, sharing, and helping a little boy's life be a little less difficult.

Where do the funds go? Straight to Golden Healer Service Dogs in Utah. The total cost of the dog is $10,000. Not to mention the expense of having to travel to Utah to pair with the dog and training with it for a week, time off work, hotel, ECT.