Wanted: dogs to aid in autism battle

PETER DRURY/ Waikato Times

MAN'S BEST FRIEND: Lilly Lowe and Reuben Fransen are getting Autism Assistance dogs like Maddie and Dexter to help them overcome their severe autism.

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Four Waikato families are on a mission.

They need to raise $45,000 by the end of the year to bring four specially trained dogs to New Zealand.

It's hoped the Autism Assistance dogs, from the United States, will dramatically improve the lives of their four children with autism, three of whom also suffer from epilepsy.

So the parents of Morrinsville nine-year-old Luke Burr, Marokopa seven-year-old Aniwa Willison, Matamata four-year-old Lilly Lowe and Newstead's Reuben Fransen, also seven, have applied to the 4 Paws For Ability centre in Ohio for the dogs.

The group are following in the footsteps of three Hamilton families who brought the fully certified dogs to New Zealand last year and say the anxiety and seizures which plagued their children are now a thing of the past.

Maryanne Fransen, whose son Reuben has severe autism and epilepsy, said the success of the first three dogs convinced her and the other families to take on the enormous task.

"It's a huge mission," she said.

But when Air New Zealand agreed to pay the cost of bringing the dogs here about $12,000 and 4 Paws For Ability charged just $3000 each for the dogs which are worth upwards of $15,000 because of their training the families went ahead and paid a deposit.

Other costs include the airfares and accommodation of three trainers, who will teach the families how to access all the skills of their dogs when they arrive.

For Mrs Fransen and her husband Frank, having an Autism Assistance dog will mean some peace of mind for them, and hopefully a whole new life for Reuben.

Reuben, who suffers from Severe Myclonic Epilepsy of Infancy, went through a stage of having dozens of seizures every day, some lasting up to two hours, disrupting his learning.

He and another of the children, Aniwa, have spent many nights in Waikato Hospital's intensive care unit recovering from the seizures.

Stress, anxiety and temperature are just a few of the triggers which set off Reuben's seizures.

His dog will be trained to detect a scent the boy omits just before a seizure. It will alert the youngster's parents to the impending seizure so they can give him medication to reduce the severity and hopefully stop the seizure altogether. The dogs can also help with social awkwardness and it will also be trained to find Reuben, who constantly wanders.

"You've got to watch him 24/7. With his autism he's an absolute runner. If the dog can keep an eye on him it can alert us to the fact he's managed to get out the back door."

The families have set up a registered charity called 4 Paws NZ Inc and hope that other families who want to bring out Autism Assistance dogs next year will continue the charity.

For now, though, they are coming up with fundraising ideas, including a dog walk and dog competitions.

Donate to the cause at any Westpac branch, account number: 03 1559 0116017 00, or write to 4 Paws NZ Inc, 14 Hampton Terrace, Matamata.

For more information about the families and their fundraiser visit www.4pawsnz.110mb.com

- © Fairfax NZ News