As many/most of you know we contracted with an organization last fall to help Lexi get an autism service dog. I had done my due diligence in researching organizations and needed one that would not only address autism but psychiatric issues as well. We began our fundraising and have been blessed by our community and friends coming out and helping us raise over $13,500. We completed our fundraising in early May and were told that our dog, Mickey would be moving to advanced training no later then early June.
Around this time, the organization began having some trouble which seeped like stink into many of the families lives and affecting our fundraising abilities, our support for our journeys and our kids. In my opinion and from my limited perspective there seem to have been some mismanagement issues in general with the organization and maybe with some of these issues. I don't really want to stir up stink because, frankly I don't want to know more...I just wanted to keep my kid alive and get him his dog. I was and still am very sad for all who are affected by their negative experiences and hurt by any of what has happened and I have asked for prayers to surround all of us, including the owners, managers, trainers and even lawyers involved on all sides of these issues.
As the negative statements started to fly, Lexi began to panic and lose hope that we would ever see Mickey in our home. Mickey was his only hope at times and the fading of that hope allowed the darkness to come back to my son. As the change of schedules from school to summer break came on, Lex fought the darkness but it had a choke hold on him. Mickey did not advance to his task training as planned and we were told to be patient and allow another month. When the next month had passed and still he had not passed into his next phase of training I finally asked if our dog was being delayed because of legal troubles and without going into details, the answer was yes.
The organization announce that they were not able to resolve the issues at hand and would be dissolving and this of course sent Lexi in to a panic. We lost contact with the organization itself and began our many communications with their lawyer. Rumors, negative statements, name calling and blame throwing seemed to hover around like a dark cloud to our cause and I really wanted to keep cutting through it to stay with the facts, the important issue of where is our dog and how do we get him moved forward or in to our possession.
After a great deal of work finding and keeping to the facts and staying out of the focus of blame or negative chatter we were blessed to be able to transport our dog from his amazing puppy raisers to the advanced trainer with guarantees that he would get his training completed and be placed with Lexi. While our sweet Mickey had some holes in his training he had an awesome foundation with our puppy raisers and is an amazing dog who is so willing to learn and please that did not have far to go in his advanced training. We did not need some of the more complicated skills like tethering so the trainer felt that Mickey would be a quick learner and able to be certified with his basic SD skills within two weeks.
The trainers facility was really nice and peaceful and all the dogs seemed to just hang out together in these big yards, relaxed, happy and calm. We watched as they did some basic work with Mickey and they were direct and focused but quick to praise him and engage with him celebrating any success he had. I felt very confident leaving Mickey in their capable hands.
Shortly thereafter, the lawyer called with more difficulties and as the first week went forward it was then announced that the organization would be filing bankruptcy. I was encouraged to speak with the trainer and see if she would still be able to complete our dogs training and certify him but if she did it would be without the backing of the organization. At this point, I gotta tell you, it just felt like we were in this long, slow moving train wreck and every time we thought we could breathe out more started to snap and crack and damage just kept happening.
Speaking with the trainer who had become so overwhelmed she felt like she just needed to release the dogs as they were and that I'd need to come get our dog as soon as possible. Completely understanding her perspective, which is not completely my business to disclose all here, I agreed to come get Mickey as soon as we could make the trip. She promised to continue to work him until we arrived and if he could pass his basic service dog skills she would still be able to certify him even without the organization's backing. She has that ability and capacity so I trusted her opinion and hoped upon hope that Mickey would be able to pass.
And so we made our journey to pick up Mickey...my stomach in knots hoping for our certification and remembering to have faith in Gods plan, even if it wasn't my plan. Lex had struggled with his anxiety and darkness and I just knew that if we did not get Mickey we would be back in mental hospitals if not worse. We arrived at the training facility and once again were greeted with a swarm of relaxed happy labs. One of the trainers brought Mickey to us and showed us all the tasks she was working on and how to continue our work. Mickey passed his basic service dog certification and we were given release forms and paperwork and instructed on how to help Mickey strengthen and solidify his skills. I know the trainer was in a hard position and she worked very hard to make sure that Mickey was/is the best dog for my son that he can be.
I KNOW that as this train wreck has happened to our family we were in the part of the train that got the least amount of damage as we have survived with our dog while MANY are not able to get their dogs because either puppy raisers are too afraid to hand them over to the trainer not knowing who to trust or because they do not want to take the dog untrained "as is" for very understandable reasons or some who just simply can't get the money or time to make the trip to retrieve their dogs even thought they have fully paid/raised their funds and deserve their autism service dogs or seizure alert dogs or diabetic alert dogs or whatever their service dog was going to do to save the life of their child. While my heart cries with joy as I watch my son smile it is crushed for those who are more damaged in the wreckage of this organization. Yes, there are probably several to blame, name and be angry at but my job is not to figure that out. I do not want to get involved in any of that and trust the lawyers to sort through the wreckage and find the truth as best they are able and hold the guilty responsible. I pray for them, for the families hurt, for the dogs, for the trainers and for the children.
Tonight I celebrate our journey and am so grateful for Mickey, the organization who brought him to us (no matter what condition they are in now-they still brought us Mickey), the psychiatric crisis team who suggested we begin this journey, all the family, friends and strangers who supported us and my son for having faith through the darkness. Yes, we have work to do but we work with joy in our hearts and gratitude. No matter what bumps we have tripped on or been bruised by in passing...we still made it to this point and gratitude is so much more healing. Thank you God. Thank you ALL. We will continue our journey, share our work and accomplishments and ups and downs with all those who have supported us. We welcome all prayers and support. Support ONLY please. We fight darkness with light and love and gratitude. We look forward to sharing more light. Thank you.
