Help Kristina get a service dog

Hi my name is Heather, and I’m Kristina’s mom. My daughter Kristina is eight years old and has a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Sensory Processing Disorder. Kristina struggles with identifying danger when outside our house which is a constant challenge. She finds it difficult to go to new places and can quickly be triggered. When she gets triggered she often bolts, screams, and flails in panic. This can make taking her places very difficult as a routine trip to a store can become dangerous for her. My daughter requires a lot of sensory input to be comfortable in her body. This is quite a challenge as the needed input changes, and she has challenges with expressive language making it difficult to communicate these needs. I find myself at a point where I cannot go anywhere alone with her because she is strong, and fast. I find I cannot keep her safe by myself any longer. I have realized that a service dog would be a wonderful addition to our family for many reasons. The dog would be trained to track her if she bolts and can deter the bolting behavior by being tethered to her or providing a warning bark that the dog will stop her. When she has a meltdown the dog will keep her safe by keeping her away from danger and even restraining her in different ways without harming her. The dog will learn Kristina’s unique sensory needs and provide input to help regulate her a multitude of ways. The dog is also trained for emotional support which will be life changing for my daughter especially in situations where I am not around. A trainer locally trains German Shepherds for Autistic children’s needs. I contacted the trainer, and we could get a dog within the next 2 months. I find myself in a situation where the $6,000 is just to much to afford. Therefore, I’m asking for any help you feel you can provide to get Kristina her service dog. The trainer’s website is:

http://www.k9sforkids.com/ , and I recommend sharing it with anyone who might have a child with special needs that would benefit from a service dog.