Boy to receive service dog
Family of local 9-year-old with autism reaches fundraising goal
By Sean Hart
Argus Observer
Saturday, November 14, 2009 11:15 PM PST
VALE — Simon Yarbrough turned 9 on Oct. 28, and the young boy will soon get a dog.
The canine, though, will offer much more than companionship.
Yarbrough has autism, and the service dog his family will acquire next year will be specifically trained to make his life better and safer, his mother, Terra Yarbrough said.
This summer, the family started raising the $13,000 necessary to receive a service dog from 4 Paws For Ability, an Ohio-based company with the slogan of “Taking the ‘dis’ out of disability,” Terra Yarbrough said.
“We hit our fundraising goal in the middle of October. It took about four months,” Terra Yarbrough said enthusiastically. “Now, we’re saving for the trip (to get the dog). It’s probably going to be about $3,000. If people want to donate for it, they can.”
The family will be driving to Ohio to pick up the animal to save money, Terra Yarbrough said.
“We’ll be leaving for Ohio in July. We’ll be there for 10 days to do training,” Terra Yarbrough said. “I’d like to have a reveal party for people who want to see what dog we get.”
The dog will be specially selected for the young boy, based on his unique needs, and trained to help curb his specific behavioral problems, Terra Yarbrough said.
For more information about Simon Yarbrough, visit abilitydogforsimon.weebly.com.
Lifestyle Editor Sean Hart can be contacted at SeanH@argusobserver.com.
