Autism service dog will provide safety & independence
Danny Walsh is a beautiful, blue-eyed, 19-year-old young man. He is an angel who was sent here to teach compassion, patience, and to bring back the simplicities of life. He loves basketball and spends hours a day shooting hoops. He lives at his St. Louis home with his parents, Kevin and Maggie Walsh, and his 15-year-old brother, Kenny.
While Danny has touched many lives though his warm nature and smile, his challenges are many. Over the years, Danny has been diagnosed with Non-Progressive Encephalopathy, Intractable Epilepsy, Autism, Mental Retardation, and ICD (Impulse Control Disorder). Danny’s family and friends are on a mission to raise the funds needed to acquire a service dog for Danny.
Throughout Danny’s life he has gone through many challenges including rejection, physical and mental pain, communication deficits, and the struggles with living in a world that doesn’t understand him. This can lead to behavior issues.
Danny has no fear, which leads him into dangerous situations. He also has difficulty in transitioning, which often times leads to meltdowns. Danny is now over 6 feet tall and weighs 190 lbs. He is physically larger and stronger than both his parents and brother, making it very hard to contain him when necessary.
Danny has been accepted to receive an Autism Service Dog through 4 Paws for Ability, a 501c(3) non-profit organization located in Xenia, Ohio. 4 Paws trains service dogs for individuals with multiple needs and disabilities. 4 Paws provides service dogs to people of all ages who are often times turned away by other agencies. For each dollar donated on behalf of Danny, 1 point is put towards Danny’s goal of 13,000 points. When Danny has reached his goal, 4 Paws will begin the process of training a service dog for Danny. All funds donated go directly to 4 Paws.
Danny’s dog will be trained in behavior disruption, tethering, tracking, and possibly seizure assistance. This means that when Danny has behavior issues, the dog will be trained to intervene and help Danny redirect and focus.
Tethering is where the dog can be harnessed to Danny, as well as the parent or caregiver, to avoid the temptation to run off. The dog will be trained to track Danny if he were to be lost.
Danny recently had surgery for his seizures. In several months his seizure control will be re-evaluated to determine if the dog needs to be trained for seizure assistance. All of these services will provide Danny with a more safe and secure life that his parents have waited 20 years for; also bringing more freedom and normalcy to Kenny’s life.
To make Danny and his family’s dream of a service dog come true, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to: 4 Paws for Ability, 253 Dayton Ave., Xenia, OH 45385.
***Please make checks payable to 4 Paws for Ability & write Daniel Walsh in the memo section***
For more information please contact Kevin and Maggie Walsh at fourpawsfordanny@yahoo.com. To contact 4 Paws for Ability directly, please call 937-374-0385 or visit their website. Thank you for your support on Danny’s quest for a furry friend.
Note: I highly endorse 4 Paws for Ability as a source for extremely well-trained service dogs. The organization is sound and its goals exceptional. Judy Vorfeld.