For many of us, our dog is part of our whānau. But for some Kiwis, they’re much more than that, as Seven Sharp’s Rachel Parkin discovers.
For Christchurch teen Lachlan Horgan and his family, assistance dogs have been a lifeline. Clever canines are in demand for kids with autism and other disabilities around New Zealand.
As 15-year-old Lachlan snuggled in front of the TV to watch the rugby during my visit, he was clearly content.
It’s been six months since black labrador Baxter took over from golden labrador Lady as Lachlan’s assistance dog, and it’s safe to say the pair has found its groove.
“Life [before assistance dogs] was pretty hard, wasn’t it, for Lachlan?” said his mum, Sinead, half to me, half to Lachlan. “He was constantly anxious, really highly strung and stressed a lot of the time.
“Noises would freak him out. He looked different from everyone else and was conscious that people would stare everywhere he went — it wasn’t a comfortable feeling for any of us.”
Most of Lachlan’s mood regulation now, Sinead told me with a smile, comes from the dog.
“If Lachlan’s anxious, the dog will be there. Either the dog will lie on Lachlan, or Lachlan will lie on the dog to calm him down.
“It’s that weight, heartbeat, and rhythmic breathing, just to calm him down.”
As I watched the pair of pals play fetch, those rough days were hard to conceive. Lachlan giggled away as Baxter returned the ball but often failed to drop it.
Going to the park is now a simple joy that, before assistance dogs, had been a mission for the family.
“We’d always have to bring two cars to the supermarket or playground because Lachlan may or may not get out of the car, he might get scared of the wind, anything could happen,” explained Sinead.
Constant companion
Now, virtually everywhere Lachlan goes, so does Baxter — even for hospital visits.
“And what will happen when you go to the operating theatre?” Sinead asked her son. “Baxter will be on the bed next to you.”
“Yeah,” said Lachlan, who is virtually non-verbal, twisting his fidget toy.
“And then he’ll be there when you’re starting to wake up again. He’ll probably give you a lick on your hand,” added Sinead. “He’s very caring, Baxter.”
Assistance dogs had been such a game-changer for Lachlan that Sinead joined the Board of Trustees for Assistance Dogs New Zealand Trust.
“This has fundamentally changed our lives, so I want to make sure I do this for other people,” she said.
Lachlan’s story isn’t isolated.
The Assistance Dogs NZ Trust was founded in 2008 by Julie and Rick Hancox after she found people with disabilities such as autism and Downs Syndrome didn’t have access to service dogs.
As you read this, 33 assistance dogs are working with Kiwis — mainly children — in the community, with more than 600 people on the waiting list.
‘A good match’
“Every dog is different, like every kid is different. So, it’s great to match skills,” Sinead explained. “If you have a kid in a wheelchair and a dog who loves to retrieve things, that’s a good match.
“If you’ve got a gentle, calm dog and a highly anxious person like Lachlan, that’s a good match.”
Training one pup, from woe to go, costs around $75,000, and the trust relies on grants and sponsorship.
“We’ve had some amazing support,” Sinead said. “The Lindsay Foundation came on board when we were struggling.
“They were there and said, ‘Yep, we see you’. The Rata Foundation has come on board now, too,” she said. “But we always need more because we’ve got to double the dog output now. It takes a whole community.”
Teaching an assistance dog the ropes is no small task, but taking on a pup until 18 months was a no-brainer for Caroline Thompson.
“I saw an ad on Facebook [for puppy-raisers] and thought, that’s fantastic. I work from home and do a couple of days a week in the office, so he gets socialisation from that,” she said. “And it was just a time in my life that I could.”
“They’ve got their jacket on, so they’re allowed in every public space. I get to take him to cafes, malls, banks, anywhere. He’s my shadow, and he’s beautiful,” she grinned as Phil snoozed by her feet.
Giving him up at the end would be challenging, but knowing where he was going made it all worthwhile.
“Watching the kids when they get a dog to help them through, whatever they struggle with on a day-to-day basis, is absolutely amazing,” Thompson said, eyes shining.
“They form attachments so beautifully with human beings and children. They really do help them.”
The Horgans, meanwhile, are forever indebted.
“The puppy raisers are like angels,” Sinead said. “They love these puppies, and they do everything.”
I asked Sinead if she pinches herself when she sees how much of a difference assistance dogs have made for her family.
“Every time, every time,” Sinead replied, nodding. “Both of these dogs have genuinely changed our lives.”
