Russellville Family Seeks Four-Legged Solution
No offense to cat lovers out there, but this Russellville Family needs some help that only a furry canine can fulfill, and they need YOUR help also!
Jason and Dea Shatterly of Russellville, are raising funds for 4 Paws for Ability in honor of their son Matthew to qualify to receive an Autism Assistance Service Dog. 4 Paws for Ability is a non-profit organization specializing in training and placement of service dogs for disabled children.
Ten-year-old Matthew Shatterly has faced many challenges in his life. He has developmental delays and High-Functioning Autism. Children with Autism tend to wander away, and they are unaware of environmental dangers such as traffic, bodies of water, or the ill-intentions of a stranger.
Matthew needs a strong companion at his side EVERY DAY who is trained to provide the special assistance he needs. In addition to providing constant companionship and unwavering friendship, these 4-legged wonders are specially trained in tethering and tracking (i.e., search and rescue).
Matthew lacks the social skills other children his age come by naturally. A service dog can help with this.
Based in Xenia, OH, 4 Paws for Ability strives to provide service dogs to families and children who struggle with life’s daily challenges and who would otherwise be turned away by many other agencies. 4 Paws trains a variety of assistance dogs, included but not limited to: seizure assistance, mobility assistance, hearing ear dogs, and autism assistance dogs. Some of the dogs even serve a little time in the Rover Prison Rehab Program as a stepping stone to becoming a certified service dog.
“We have discovered a magic that exists between children and dogs, a magic that can become a life-saving miracle for a child paired with one of our Autism Assistance Dogs,” states the 4 Paws website, www.4pawsforability.org.
You can help bring some magic to Matthew’s life by making a tax-deductible donation to 4 Paws for Ability. Please indicate on your check’s memo line that it is “in honor of Matthew Shatterly.”
For additional information, please contact Jason or Dea Shatterly at (479) 280-0452 or e mail them at hoggirl@gmail.com.
To contact 4 Paws directly, call, (937) 374-0385 or visit their website at www.4pawsforability.org.
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.