Quick links+
Guide Dogs of America | Tender Loving Canine’s Autism service dog graduate, Rosie O’Donnell visited the IAM 2024 Grand Lodge Convention to share her story of how life-changing it is to receive the gift of a service dog.
O’Donnell is the primary handler of a service dog for her child with autism. After discovering GDA|TLC, O’Donnell started the process of getting her child the support of a dog from the GDA|TLC autism program.
“It changed our entire world,” said O’Donnell. “It changed my life. It changed my ability to have a life. It has allowed me to see this child who is full of anxiety and nerves get a bath of aloe vera on her nervous system.”
O’Donnell was visiting one of the prisons participating in GDA|TLC’s Prison Training Program when she met GDA|TLC President Russ Gittlen and learned about autism service dogs.
“When I met our dog, I looked at the dog and I got all choked up and started to cry and I said ‘You and me, we’re going to save my kid,’” said O’Donnell to the IAM delegation. “And that’s what this dog has done, and everyone in this room has contributed to that.”
“I want to give you my gratitude and my thanks and to let you know that there are so many families who could use this treatment,” said O’Donnell.
