Online fundraiser aims to help K9s for Kids recover from tornado
Courtesy of Steve Kiray
One of the four “miracle puppies” who survived the tornado at K9’s for Kids
Courtesy of Steve Kiray
A tornado last month flattened the kennels at K9s for Kids in Mt. Pleasant Township, and led to the death of two dogs.
Courtesy of Devon Shallenberger
Jackson Shallenberger and his service dog, Baby, at Kennywood
Courtesy of Devon Shallenberger
Jackson Shallenberger stands with Baby, his service dog, when he was just a puppy.
After a Mt. Pleasant Township business that provides children with service dogs was hit hard by a tornado last month, one family launched an online fundraiser to help the business owners rebuild.
Steve and Stephanie Kiray, owners of K9s for Kids, breed German shepherds for the purpose of acting as service dogs. Steve Kiray said the business mostly serves children with autism, but also trains dogs to help those with seizure disorders and anxiety.
While the Kirays were at a Fort Cherry High School volleyball game Oct. 21, a tornado ripped through their Dairy Road property and flattened their kennels, leading to the death of two of their female dogs used for breeding.
“One was killed that night. I found her under the rubble. I found another under the deck of the kennel when I was searching for one of the puppies,” Steve Kiray said. “The second dog was under the deck, staring off into space. After a visit to the vet, she had to be put down.”
There were also four puppies that all survived the storm, and two of them have since been placed as service animals.
“I call them the miracle puppies,” Kiray said.
K9s for Kids they have helped close to 100 families since the business opened in 2008, Kiray said.
Washington resident Devon Shallenberger’s son, Jackson, is 9 years old and received a service dog through K9s for Kids. She said she set up a GoFundMe page when she heard about the tornado damage the business sustained.
“I just immediately went into fundraising mode for (K9s for Kids),” Shallenberger said.
As of Monday evening, Shallenberger’s page had raised $8,106. She has also raised more than $2,000 selling lottery tickets.
Shallenberger’s son was matched with his dog, Baby, in 2018.
“My son is nonverbal, and he likes to run. If there are triggers, or environmental triggers, he will just run. He is not aware of his surroundings or safety. We have to keep a very close eye on him,” Shallenberger said.
Baby knows Jackson’s scent, and is trained to follow it.
“Wherever we’re at, he would be able to go into search-and-rescue mode and he would be able to find his boy,” Shallenberger said.
After her experience with K9s for Kids, it was an easy choice for Shallenberger to get involved with their rebuilding efforts.
“I’m always an advocate for his program. Any child with special needs can benefit from a service dog,” Shallenberger said.
Rebuilding will be a long, and expensive, road, according to Kiray.
K9s for Kids has already rebuilt the kennels, a $10,000 expense, and replacing the dogs will be even more costly.
The cheaper option, according to Kiray, is to purchase puppies, but it would take two years to be able to breed them. Even then, there is no guarantee the dogs would have the correct traits.
The more costly option would be to purchase adult German shepherds that are ready to breed.
“The cost to replace the adult females is ranging from $13,000 to $22,000, per dog,” Kiray said.
Though the money raised so far is a fraction of what is needed to get K9s for Kids back where it was, Kiray said the fundraising effort has come as a great relief.
“We’re thankful for everyone who has contributed or is even thinking about doing it. We’re far from where we need to be,” Kiray said.
For more information, visit k9sforkids.webs.com.