Zone 17
No. 14 Vol. 5
New View Media Group • 1-800-691-7549
March 14, 2018
Montville Mother Makes Appeal For Service Dog To Help Autistic Son
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By Dawn M. Chiossi ew things are as wonderful as a dog. These loving, tail-wagging pets are often considered part of the family. But in the case of a service dog, they are so much more: They are a lifeline to those who need them. Recently, Montville Mother, Faith Stanley demonstrated her unconditional love for her 2 year old autistic son when she recently reached out to “CBS News New York,” stating that he needed a service dog to aid him in his daily life. Unfortunately insurance does not cover the cost of these necessary service animals, so she set up a GoFundMe Page to do so. Joey Stanley was diagnosed with autism and a sensory processing disorder at 18 months old. In struggling with this frightening, isolating, and often confusing condition, he is considered a “banger” on the autism spectrum scale. He will often literally bang his head and chin when he gets upset, overwhelmed or frustrated- often bruising and hurting himself quite badly. At other times, his mom says that he will bang his head simply for the sensory input he craves. She even discloses that he will even bang his head on the sidewalk, or anywhere he is able! He literally has to wear a helmet to ensure his own safety. Knowing her son’s affinity for dogs, noticing how they would immediately calm him when they were nearby, Stanley shares that she came up with the idea in the course of her own extensive research on autism, investigating how it could help him with the challenges he battles on a daily basis. “One day I came across online about service dogs for autistic children,” she says. “I saw a video of a boy who banged his head like Joey and how his service dog helped him tremendously.”
In seeing how the dog could be so beneficial to another child with the same condition, she was even more determined than ever to help get her son a service dog of his own. “I saw firsthand how a service dog will stop Joey from banging and hurting himself by coming near him to redirect or going close to him to give him the input that he is seeking,” Stanley explains. In response to this heartwarming story, the community showed her an outpouring of love and support raising $18,730, in just four months, exceeding the $17,000 that she desperately needed to purchase one. Stanley, a single mother of four boys, who cleans houses to pay the bills, says that she and her family are overwhelmed with the generosity and altruism she has received from the public, thanking everyone effusively for their donations. “They have been so thoughtful and caring,” she says. “We are so blessed. That is
a beautiful thing seeing strangers helping us.” In an extraordinary stroke of luck, one of these strangers is Janice Wolfe, founder and executive director of Merlin’s Kids. Merlin’s Kids of Bergen County is a nonprofit organization that rescues, rehabilitates and trains shelter dogs to become service animals for children with special needs, giving these animals a second chance at life. These special dogs provide physical and emotional support as well as being health alert screening dogs for those with varying conditions. Each dog is specifically trained for the needs of the individual. Wolfe saw Stanley’s story on CBS News and it immediately resonated with her, knowing she wanted to work with this family. “She said she would help whether we get $2,000 or $5,000,” Stanley says. Sercontinued on page 4