This is turning out to be a very busy summer for us at North Star! We are in the midst of creating five new placements from our last litter of North Star pups, and North Star’s Juliet has just conceived a new litter of pups fathered by a stud dog from Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) that has an extraordinary temperament (Seaview Toffee Royal). This newsletter will focus on the placements we are hoping to complete by the end of the year.

A dog named Echo is being paired with a young girl named Diana, who has a moderate degree of autism. Echo is an extremely gentle and people oriented dog, qualities that will help her to shadow Diana during the course of her day without overwhelming her. Initially both frightened as well as intrigued by dogs, Diana is already growing more comfortable with Echo, while Echo is learning good things happen (i.e., treats and praise) when she follows Diana around. We are training Echo to bark when Diana attempts to escape her yard; we are also teaching Diana to play interactive games with Echo such as fetch, follow the leader and hide & seek.

We have four other dogs in the process of being trained to work with children on the autism spectrum; their tasks range from interrupting preservative behavior to acting as a bridge between the children and their peers to facilitate communication. North Star is proud to have created the gold standard for placing Assistance Dogs with children with autism.

Castle wearing her North Star vest

This fall we are making our first placement with a puppy received from Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Castle is a Labrador Retriever who is very intelligent and calm, but is a bit too reticent for Seeing Eye work. These softer tempered puppies are perfect for North Star’s work with children, and we are fortunate to be able to purchase high quality puppies from Guiding Eyes for the Blind to train for the children we serve. Castle will be taught how to grab a strap that hangs from the belt of a young boy named Jason, a four year old boy with autism who tends to bolt without notice.

Another upcoming placement will be a North Star dog and a four-year old girl named Carmen, who is currently recovering from a terrible car accident. Carmen is paralyzed from the neck down, but she remains very much a talkative and charming little girl who loves animals. She is currently in foster care, and was brought to our attention by her Occupational Therapist due to how well Carmen responded to a Therapy Dog that she met in the hospital. Although the majority of our placements are made according to a sliding scale, this placement is being 100% subsidized by North Star Foundation. I would like to thank Michele Moye-Anderson for her efforts in spearheading a very successful fund-raising event that allows us to make Carmen’s placement free of charge.

Please consider donating to North Star to fund upcoming placements for children on our waiting list who need financial assistance. Together, we can make an important difference in the life of a child who faces life with a challenge. Your donation is tax deductible, as well as being appreciated.

Warm and grateful regards,

Patty Dobbs Gross, Director

North Star Foundation

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