When Brady Hirsch misbehaves, his new friend won’t take away his dinner, send him to time out, unplug the television or tell his friends to go home. He will lick him in the face.
Brady will soon be under the supervision of a new disciplinarian and nurturer a service dog that is trained to help the 2-year-old deal with his autism.
Lori and Thomas Hirsch, of Colonie, said they first noticed signs of Brady’s autism when he was 19 months old.
He had no speech, diminished eye contact,` said Lori. `We started Brady at early intervention services at 19 months old because he had the basic symptoms [of autism].`
At 21 months old, Brady was officially diagnosed.
`After Brady was diagnosed, I did find out that I have a couple of nephews that have autism on both sides of my family,` said Lori. `I think people tend not to talk about it, and the sad thing is, even still [today].`
Lori and Thomas immediately got involved in as many groups and programs for families touched by autism, but it was through a weekend tradition that Lori and Thomas came across an answer, a rather furry answer, to Brady’s behavioral problems.
`I would take my son to see the dogs on Saturdays at [the shelter], and this one woman that works there suggested to me, ‘Did you ever think about a therapy dog for him?’` Lori said.
When she got home, she began researching autism dogs and found a number of organizations that provide services for families looking for ways to keep their children safe. However, not all organizations provides services to a person as young as Brady, who will be 3 in March.
Lori eventually discovered 4Paws for Ability.
Although representatives from the Ohio-based organization were not available by press time, the organization’s Web site said it was founded in 2002 by Karen Shirk, who had worked as a social worker, specializing in mental retardation while attending college. Shirk eventually developed symptoms of Myasthenia Gravis, a rare neuromuscular disease. The disease left Shirk short of breath often times, and depressed most of the time. She adopted her puppy-match, Ben, through a shelter and spent time training him. It was Shirk’s experience with Ben that led her to develop 4 Paws for Ability, Inc.
In an effort to continue the word-of-mouth advertising that 4 Paws for Ability works off of, every family wishing to have a service dog from the group, after being approved, is asked to hold benefits to raise $13,000 — the cost of owning the service dog. According to Lori, even if a family had the money to send to 4 Paws, the organization asks that the family hold fundraisers so that awareness can be spread about the organization and the diseases that afflict the people who receive assistance from the dogs.
Never having held a fundraiser before, Lori said it can be a little overwhelming, but she does plan to continue raising money for the organization even after the family raises the $13,000 for Brady’s dog and even on an annual basis.
Once Brady gets his dog, which will be either a Labrador retriever, a golden retriever or a German shepherd, he will be not only trained with specialists, but trained by Brady’s family based on their specific needs for their son.
`For instance, Brady’s dog is going to be trained to track,` said Lori. `Because of Brady’s age, he’s so young that if he gets out ` Brady is totally non-verbal, he doesn’t respond when you call his name ` so if he were to get away from us it is not a good situation.`
Brady’s dog will also learn what behaviors Lori and Thomas do not find acceptable, and when Brady misbehaves, the dog will be trained to lick or nudge the boy. When out in the community, the dog will be tethered to Brady, Lori said, preventing him from walking into cars in the middle of the street.
`The dog will keep him safe,` Lori said.
While the Hirsch’s hope having the dog will help Brady gain more independence as he grows up, more than anything, Lori said, they are happy for the added safety his new companion will bring.
The first of the Hirsch’s two scheduled fundraisers will be held Thursday, Feb. 19, at Pizzeria Uno at Crossgates Mall, where during the lunch and dinner hours, the restaurant will donate 20 percent of all sales to the organization. Patrons will have to present a coupon to their waiter or waitress for their donation to go toward Brady’s dog. Coupons are available by e-mailing [email protected].
The second fundraiser will be a bowling event to be held March 29 at Sunset Recreation on Central Avenue in Albany, where anyone who walks in can make a donation to go toward Brady’s dog.
To reach the Hirsch family for a coupon or to make an individual donation, call 482-1993.
“
