We are raising funds to pay for a therapy dog which would change Phoebe’s life by helping her anxiety, give her confidence & feel loved.
Auckland
My daughter Phoebe is 10 years old & was diagnosed as being Autistic & having ADHD about 18 months ago. Although diagnosis was a relief, it does mean some everyday things are a bit trickier for her than others. She is a very social kid, loves to be around people, but finds it hard to make & keep friends so is often quite lonely.
Animals bring her a great amount of comfort & she is desperate for a companion dog. We did attempt to adopt a rescue dog last year, but unfortunately the puppy was not a good match for her. It was a very unsettling experience & Phoebe was devastated when we had to rehome it. It made us realize how important it is to find a dog who is calm, trained to deal with noise & Phoebe’s anxiety.
Having a Therapy dog will help her become less anxious and feel more secure by providing her with a friend who will accept her, autism and all, and always be there for her. She can be sensitive to external stimuli including crowds, noise, temperature and smells. In these moments she would benefit greatly by having a calm pup close by to touch, cuddle or lay beside. We also hope the dog will be a companion at nighttime who can sleep on her bed, help her fall asleep & be there for her during the night when she has nightmares.
Unfortunately, dogs like this are not cheap as they require good breeding for temperament, as well as specialized training before they are passed to their forever companion. We understand the total cost is upwards of $15,000 which is well beyond our means. So we have created this page to start our fundraising for Phoebe’s best friend :)
We aim to work with Therapy Dogs NZ (therapydogs.co.nz) and her application has recently been conditionally accepted. Phoebe has not been matched with a pup yet but we will definitely keep you updated!
Please help us make a huge difference in Phoebe’s life. We know a pup will give Phoebe the confidence she needs to interact with people, make friends and attempt anything new.
I am Phoebe's mother & main caregiver.
Any money raised will go towards paying for a puppy & the training a puppy like this needs. Any excess will go towards subsidizing another puppy for someone who needs one.
Thank You! 7 December 2021
Hello everyone,
We just wanted to send a great big THANK YOU to all that donated, shared & supported this page raising money for Phoebe to get a dog. We really appreciate it & it was amazing how many people helped us from all around the world! :)
Unfortunately Covid has put a lot of pressure on the system & extended waitlists dramatically, & we have sadly had to abandon our idea for an official therapy dog for now.
But the good news is that Phoebe is doing really well and both she & our family will still benefit greatly from getting a dog. We have managed to secure a Labradoodle puppy from the same breeders that supply therapy dogs & (depending on mother nature) will have our puppy in late February 2022!!
We know we will have our work cut out for us & plan to have some help with a trainer to do some specific training for Phoebe.
We could not have got this far without all of your help so please know our appreciation is immense! Thank you all so much xx
Thank you Dianne!
Thank you so much Jesse!
Thank you so much Paul, we really appreciate it!
Thank you so much Steve :)
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