Meet Brianah and her dog Julia.
Brianah was allowed to pick her puppy, a black lab mix, from an accidental litter that her therapist Sharon Gaitor’s dog of Kids in Motion, Villa Rica GA had. Brianah picked Julia and visited her 3 – 4 times a week before being able to bring her home at 7 weeks. Julia is now 7 months and Brianah recently turned 12.
Brianah has Spina Bifida, and suffers from neurological and psychological disorders of which some are caused by her primary diagnosis Spina Bifida including Arnold Chiari Malformation, Hydrocephalus and Neurogenic Bladder. Brianah loves animals and her parents are already starting to see a claming affect with their daughter since bringing Julia home.
Animals Deserve Better, Inc through their Paws For Life service dog training program will train Julia to be a multi-service dog and work with Brianah her mum Angela and dad Patrick. Service dogs offer a unique, non-judgmental, ever present comfort. More importantly they serve as an early alert system to mood swings and emotional changes so the individual can engage in positive coping strategies.
Multiservice dogs are a type of service dog individually trained to assist persons with physical impairments that effect mobility. These dogs aid wheelchair users by helping to retrieve dropped items, turning light switches on/off, paying for items at the store (by putting their front paws on the checkout counter and handing the clerk their handler’s card or wallet), opening/closing doors, transferring to and from the wheelchair and a myriad of other tasks, besides pulling a manual chair when requested and providing balance and support when using crutches or a walker. Julia will also be trained to interact on impulsive behaviors and prevent Julia from getting lost or confused along with using pressure point therapy to help with anxiety when in neurologically stimulating environments.
Brianah and her family are seeking support and sponsorship to help with the training of their dog every donation made is tax deductible and 100% will be allocated to the training of a service dog. Please consider the wonder of being able to help this family to make this holiday the best they can imagine. DONATE NOW 〉