Help Liam get his Autism Service Dog

Dear Family, Friends and Community,

The Garrett Family is on a journey of love and support for their oldest child Liam, who is 6 years old.

Liam is a kind-hearted, compassionate little boy, who loves life and the outdoors.  He adores his little sister Elora. Liam has a journey ahead of him with the love of his family and friends to support and guide him.  Being autistic, he faces many challenges ahead of him.  Liam is a resilient little boy who faces everything head on like scoliosis. He has to wear a brace 24/7 for correction of his spine. Liam has difficulty in making transitions and making friends. The Autism Service dog will be a positive companion for him. The bond between boy and dog will benefit Liam in countless ways and boost his self-esteem. Liam tends to wander off without telling anyone, having a Service dog trained for tracking Autistic child, would be trained in tracking skills to find Liam, plus be able to be tethered to Liam.  Recent evidence has shown that  Autism Service dogs help children to gain independence in social skills, improve on emotional well-being, and helps with sensory issues.

As a military family it was a major decision to bring a service dog into our life, with Liam having to adapt to a new (duty station) environment every 3 years. Though the pros out weighed the cons, as the major focus was Liam. Researching has been valuable, though finding the funds to invest in a autistic service dog is incredibly challenging during this time. With in our research we came across nonprofit organizations that are not taking applications at this time due to COVID.  The few nonprofit organizations that are accepting application have a 3-5 year wait list. Liam, being in his prime developmental years, we feel that he can use this asset sooner, rather than later. We finally came across Loyalty Dog Service which is a private organization,  accredited by (ADI) Assistance Dogs International. In which we were accepted to receive a service dog through their detailed application and interview process. We would like to work with them in training and matching Liam with his service companion. They select specific breeds and train them over the next 10-12 months. The cost of an autism service dog is roughly $27,000 and we are hoping our community can help us fundraise as much of the cost as possible, so that Liam can gain his service dog companion. Liam and his autistic service dog will have updated training each year as they grow together and life changes.

Service dog companions assist individuals with autism spectrum disorders in a multitude of ways. They are trained to provide pressure in which calms and comforts the child. They are trained to interrupt potentially harmful behavior, outbursts, and redirect focus. Helping provide a social and communicative bridge that will accompany the individual at all times; to assist them interacting with the world around them. They are a source of stress reduction and unconditional love. We want Liam to grow up feeling supported and at ease. An autism service dog will help give him that sense of peace when they are engaging with the public.

 

We will be doing a variety of fundraisers over the next year and we are hoping to turn in the 30% deposit soon. Please contribute if you can, and if you cannot, please considering sharing Liam’s story with other community members. Ultimately, our goal is for Liam to gain everything he needs to be the happiest little boy he can be and to give him all the tools he needs to thrive in his journey.

 

Thank you to all! We appreciate your support