Loving Finn

When you meet Finn, you can’t help but fall in love with his smile. Like a typical four-year old, he enjoys exploring, playing and having fun. But on May 23, 2019, he was diagnosed with Severe Nonverbal Autism, along with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), Low Muscle Tone, and Global Developmental Delay (GDD).

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, his parents realized that having a companion of an Autism service dog might help him and his family get through the pandemic and beyond. Autism service dogs are faithful companions that assist autistic children and their families with activities of daily living as well as increasing the safety of the child and reducing the stress level of their family. For Finn, a service dog would provide many benefits:

• Improved quality of sleep, better health and temperature regulation
• Increased social interaction which can in turn improve his social skills and social interaction
• Improved independence so Finn wouldn’t have to constantly be holding the hand of a parent
• If Finn bolts or goes missing, these dogs are capable of locating him quickly, which reduces the risk of serious harm
• An overall calmer environment for Finn and his family when performing everyday tasks. The tactile experience of having a dog as a companion has also been proven to provide calming effects.

Finn’s mother, Holly Allen along with family and friends have been fundraising since March 2020 to raise $25,000 for a service dog. Holly was overwhelmed with the outpouring of support from the community. Mission came together through bottle drives, fundraisers and donations to their gofundme account (Finn’s Autism Service Dog) to help her reach this goal.
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They have started the long process of getting a service dog. Obedience 1 Training begins on January 9 and will go for 5 weeks, followed by Obedience 2 Training. To see updates on how Finn and his new companion are doing, follow them on their Facebook page: Loving_Finn