Appeal for Irish Guide Dogs autism programme

BOY’S BEST FRIEND?Adam Galvin with his assistance dog ‘Nikita’. ?Pic: Conor McCabe Photography

Charity’s appeal for Irish Guide Dogs autism programme


IT costs more than €4.8 million a year to run the Irish Guide Dogs charity, and all its services are provided for free.
The charity’s services include the provision of assistance dogs to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Since 2005, this programme has helped three families in Mayo.
However, due to immense over-demand for the service, the applications for the 2015 programme were closed earlier this year. The Irish Guide Dogs charity is now appealing for help to re-open applications for its Assistance Dog Programme next year.
Assistance dogs help to control and improve the behaviour of a child by promoting calmness and acting as a safety aid to parents.  Among the three families in Mayo helped since 2005 are Brian and Caroline Galvin and their son Adam, who was diagnosed with severe autism at the age of two-and-a-half.  Adam’s condition meant he was prone to wandering whenever he got the chance. He was even found by the Gardaí on one occasion. Caroline said she was ‘in tears every day’, explaining that with a young baby in the house, it was impossible to watch Adam every second. “I simply didn’t know how I would cope,” said Caroline.
However, everything changed the day they welcomed their assistance dog Nikita to their busy home in July 2012. Adam and Nikita’s bond was instant, and they spend a lot of their time together outside playing fetch.
Adam has not wandered since Nikita’s arrival, and the dog stays by his side at all times. Nikita has brought Brian and Caroline ‘peace of mind’. The dog is a ‘constant companion’ for Adam, said Brian, and is a pet to the whole family when she is ‘off-duty’.

To help re-open the assistance-dog waiting list, donate at www.guidedogs.ie or buy Christmas cards and gifts from Irish Guide Dogs’ online shop.