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A service dog has changed my child’s life. Could they help more Kentuckians?

Lexington Herald-Leader - 10/13/2022

Service dogs have proven their usefulness. From “seeing eye dogs” for the visually impaired, to dogs that can sense and warn their handlers against physical and physiological changes, to dogs that provide mental and physical support for veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder, these highly trained animals earned the distinction granted to them by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Today the ADA estimates that about 500,000 service dogs are employed in the United States. When you factor that 61 million people here also have some type of disability, that means less than one percent of them have a service dog. Could broader use of service dogs help more people with mental and physical disabilities, not to mention major health conditions, live a more stable, independent life?

One student in Fayette County is showing that the answer is yes. Colin Vaught, a fifth grader at Stonewall Elementary started school this year with his service dog, Ally, a pure-bred British Labrador. Colin has Down syndrome, and has been known to wander or willfully leave safe spaces including school, church, and even our family home.

Ally has been trained by Carolyn Cabot, licensed veterinary technician, certified master dog trainer and owner of Bluegrass K9 Solutions in Wilmore. Ally’s trained tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting Colin with emotional regulation and providing a level of safety by blocking him from leaving places where he’s supposed to remain. She’s also learning search-and-rescue skills as her training continues.

After just a few weeks of handling Ally, Colin’s family, teachers, and therapists have noticed marked improvements. He speaks more intentionally, interacts more confidently with his peers, navigates his school environment more independently, has reduced his repetitive movement behaviors, and is moving with more purpose through life. The sense of responsibility he has for Ally, and the security he feels because of her, has improved both his sleep and his self-determination.

It’s still early in this exciting new chapter of Colin’s life, but we hope he and Ally will be a dynamic duo for many years. With Ally, everyone who loves Colin has reason to believe he’s safer and happier. Those alone are benefits everyone could embrace.

This progress is not without a cost. Service dogs can be expensive because they require extensive and highly specialized training, though several organizations do provide trained animals free of charge to veterans with PTSD. For Colin and many others, fundraising remains the primary source of payment for the dog. While acknowledging this, it’s also important to keep in mind that a service dog’s intrinsic value far outweighs its dollar value. Perhaps with increased awareness and advocacy, more dogs can be a consideration for more people.

Experts aren’t sure how service dogs do everything they do for their handlers. For example, dogs are “likely” able to smell blood sugar changes for patients with diabetes, and yet many dogs are appropriated specifically for this purpose. Like any good relationship, a vital factor in the success of a service dog-handler dynamic is the bond they share. This is another benefit all dog lovers can celebrate.

Because Kentucky has one of the nation’s leading waiver programs for the intellectually and physically disabled, it should follow that it’s also one of the most inclusive states in the country, as well. Promoting the success of Colin and others like him can only help with that goal. Just in time for Down syndrome awareness month in October, this is a story we can all expect to follow to a happy ending—far in the future.

Gretchen Vaught has been a lifelong advocate for the sidelined and marginalized. She is a Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership Fellow and works as a Senior Communication Consultant.

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