BluePath celebrated the placement of four new service dog teams and one facility therapy dog team. The graduating dogs headed home to Glenville NY, Rhinebeck NY, Somers NY, Maplewood NJ, and Kensington CT.
“We are privileged to steward a mission with an impact that is as wide as it is deep,” said Michelle Brier, BluePath’s Chief Executive Officer. “These extraordinary dogs will go home to help children and their parents; they will support siblings and friends; and they’ll strengthen families’ connections with their communities. They will provide limitless hope, and in doing so, their influence will be exponentially powerful and far-reaching.”
The demand for BluePath dogs is greater than ever before; one in every 36 children born today will develop an autism spectrum disorder (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). The propensity to wander or bolt is a hallmark behavior of autism and poses a significant threat to the well-being of children affected. Even the most routine trips outside the home can quickly transform into life-threatening experiences. To avoid disruption and risk, children and their families often retreat into the safer environments of their homes and experience significant social isolation as a result.
Kyle and Mimi Freeman, from Somers, NY, received BluePath Knight for their ten-year-old-son, Jacob.
“When Jacob was younger, he loved toy cars and trucks. But rather than play with them, he would turn them upside down and spin the wheels. That would keep his focus for hours,” said Kyle Freeman. “Since that time, his fascination with vehicles has grown. He takes every opportunity to study and examine all that he sees. This fascination becomes his priority, and he forgets everything else, including safety and awareness.”
“Jacob can take off in an instant,” Freeman added. “The shiny rims or flashing lights will grab his attention and cause the rest of the world to disappear. His excitement takes over and he rushes to objects that excite him, ready to study and examine and touch every square inch. Holding his hand is always a requirement, because we never know when he will elope.”
Service dogs are the only effective intervention to elopement in children with autism. BluePath is committed to serving children with autism and their families by providing high quality service dogs that offer safety, companionship, and independence – free of charge.
“That first walk we took with Knight was something special. The way Jacob held onto her harness and wouldn’t let go. He was grounded with Knight by his side,” said Freeman. “Knight has become a light in the darkness. The light at the end of the tunnel that helps us know Jacob will be safer and with the help of BluePath, we can make the world safer for him.”
