Service dog bonds with teen with autism
Katherine Mansfield/For the Observer-Reporter
Canonsburg teenager Katie Jankowski poses for a picture with her 12-week-old service dog, Rosie.
Katherine Mansfield/For the Observer-Reporter
From left, Lily Sixx, Allison Ciaffoni, Ford Ciaffoni, Amy Ciaffoni, Jennie Ciaffoni and Gabby Ciaffoni attended the event at Top Golf.
Katherine Mansfield/For the Observer-Reporter
Canonsburg teenager Katie Jankowski hands out raffle tickets.
For Canonsburg teen Katie Jankowski, being in social situations can be challenging.
A straight-A student who is involved in a range of activities including Girl Scouts, Jankowski was diagnosed with autism in third grade.
But a new furry, four-legged friend is helping to make Jankowski’s life easier.
Rosey, a 12-week-old German shepherd, is a service dog who is being trained to interrupt Jankowski when her emotions start to escalate, and to help her calm down.
In addition, Rosey will be trained in search and rescue to help keep Katie, 15, from wandering.
Autism Open, a Washington-based nonprofit that raises money for people affected by autism, purchased Rosey for Katie from K9s for Kids, a Washington County organization that provides German shepherds for children with autism.
“For Katie, Rosey is changing her life. Already, the bond between the two of them is so strong,” said Katie’s mother, Lorry Jankowski, tears welling in her eyes. “This is so important. Katie’s going to be returning to high school and then go to college, and I’m not going to be able to be with her. I can’t go with her, I can’t fix anything, so it’s really important for her to have Rosey. I don’t think Katie would be able to return to school if she didn’t have Rosey.”
A spokesman for K9 for Kid said having a dog around to serve as an extra pair of eyes so that parents don’t have to watch their child every second is invaluable.
Lorry Jankowski said that with Rosey beside her, Katie, who is currently attending Canon-McMillan High School remotely, likely will return to in-person classes during the fall semester. Katie also is slated to attend a vet-tech program in Pittsburgh in the fall.
“It will take time, but we’re hoping by Christmas of 2021 that Katie’s going to be in both schools, and Rosey’s going to be a big part of that,” said Lorry.
Katie plans to be a veterinary technician.
“I love animals and I want to work with small animals, like rabbits,” she said. “I’m going to go to college to be a vet tech.”
It’s a goal that Lorry, with Rosey’s help, plans for her daughter to achieve.
“I want her to be whatever she wants to be, and I never let her think she has to be anything less than what she wants to be,” said Lorry. “Katie is good-hearted, she’s very smart, she’s compassionate. As a mom, I have always encouraged her not to set limits.”
Katie currently serves as Miss Reigning America Pennsylvania Exceptional Junior Teen, and competes in the national finals in Atlanta, Ga., in June.
She also recently earned the Girl Scouts Silver Award, the second highest award a Girl Scout can earn.
And Katie is a member of the Washington County 4-H Club and is raising 22 rabbits, which she shows at exhibits.
“My motto is, ‘do not let the diagnosis of autism define you, but embrace it and make it work for you,'” said Katie.
Lorry is proud of Katie’s efforts to succeed and achieve.
“Academically, Katie is a 4.0 student, but emotionally, autism causes some kids’ brains to go from zero to 60 and they don’t know what to do with that emotion, or whatever they’re feeling,” explained Lorry. “For Katie, that’s where she is. She doesn’t know what to do with that frustration, whether it’s a math problem or a social problem. The social part is hard, and Rosey is going to be her helper with that.”
K9s for Kids trains between half a dozen to about a dozen dogs each year for the program.
Rosey’s training takes place at Mingo Creek County Park once a week for up to two hours, for one year.
After completing training, Rosey will be certified as a service dog. She is legally permitted into public buildings such as stores and movie theaters, as well public transit.
Rosey cost about $6,000, which was covered by Autism Open.
The nonprofit holds fundraisers to help with its projects, including its second annual TopGolf event, held Sunday during National Autism Awareness Month.
Since it was started in 2010 by founder and director Courtney Cavanaugh, who has worked in the mental health field for more than 15 years, Autism Open has raised more than $300,000 for local children and families affected by autism.
Autism Open has purchased autism service dogs, created a specially made sensory classroom filled with sensory toys and other items at Chartiers-Houston School district’s Allison Park Elementary School, and provided iPads and sensory items like swings, weighted blankets and fidget toys for other schools.
It also holds family outings – to Washington Wild Things games, the Pittsburgh Zoo, and other places – where families impacted by autism can socialize together. One hundred percent of the funds that Autism Open raises is used for the events.
Lorry said she had been looking into a service dog for about five years, but it was Cavanaugh who connected her with K9s for Kids.
When Lorry took Katie to meet the litter of puppies, Rosey immediately took to the teen.
“We knew Rosey was the one,” said Lorry.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been especially hard on Katie, who likes a routine.
“Anybody who has an autistic child will tell you that day-to-day life is hard, and when you put COVID in there, it makes it 10 times harder,” said Lorry. We’re hoping that Rosey is going to help make things more structured.”
At the recent golf outing, Rosey happily followed Katie as she walked around to the bays to sell lottery ticket baskets that Lorry had made for the fundraiser.
“Those two are inseparable,” said Lorry. “Rosey is my hope for Katie.”
For information on Autism Open, please visit their Facebook page. For information on K9s for Kids, visit www.k9sforkids.com/.