“She’s not very impressed at this point because she doesn’t have it yet,” mother Liz Moore said recently. “She doesn’t completely understand but she’ll be really excited when it gets here.”
The Tacoma family began raising money two months ago in hopes of getting Isabel a service dog from the North Star Foundation, which provides about 10 animals to children with autism every year.
Thanks to several generous donors, Moore raised the necessary $5,000 – and then some.
The News Tribune wrote about the family’s effort last month. When people heard about Isabel’s need and Moore’s determination to meet it, the checks came rolling in.
The biggest donation was for $3,000, but Moore, 31, said all contributions are equally important. She has a list of those who gave but is stumped about how to thank them.
“For everybody to come out and support me without knowing me, and they’re not asking for anything in return,” Moore said. “I’m very surprised and so grateful.”
Moore worked with local comedy clubs, wine shops and restaurants to put on events, eager to give people something in return for their donations. The fundraisers netted a few hundred dollars but most of the money came from private contributions and a yard sale.
Maggie Woods heard about Isabel and decided to host a yard sale at Pacific Lutheran University with fellow students from The Couple and Family Therapy Center. They raised $1,235 for the service dog.
Woods said several parents with autistic children came to the weekend sale, wanting to help Moore and congratulate her on having the courage to ask for help.
“It just goes to show that you can’t underestimate the power of community,” Woods said. “And really, you can’t and you don’t have to suffer through things alone.”
The extra $3,000 raised for Moore will benefit other children seeking service dogs through the North Star Foundation.
Because Moore met her financial obligation with the organization faster than expected, their puppy will join them in late October.
Isabel and her mother were expecting to bond with their dog when it was 2 months old but another family wasn’t quite ready for a dog so North Star executive director Patty Dobbs Gross shifted tacks.
Now, a 9-month-old golden Labrador retriever named Luka will fly from Texas to Tacoma to stay with a transition family.
Heather Lindboe, a close friend who helped raise money, has offered to temporarily keep Luka.
“We’ve always wanted a dog and I’ve always said no,” Lindboe said. “This is a fantastic way for our family to try it.”
North Star will pay for Luka’s training and vet bills but Moore insists on paying for his food, saying it’s the least she can do.
Isabel and Moore expect to visit with Luka once a week and train with him for two hours each week. Moore said she hopes to take him for overnight visits and long weekends to make up for lost time.
A trainer will continue working with Luka and help Isabel adjust to having a service dog. Isabel’s teachers and therapists also might participate in the training.
Because Isabel is frightened of vehicles and often darts into traffic in parking lots, the girl initially will be lightly tethered to the dog. Moore will always have her hand on Luka’s leash but eventually Isabel will be taught to hold the leash and take responsibility for her dog. Then, the tether will fade in time.
“Luka is a wonderful steady Eddie kind of lab, just the kind of dog they need,” said Gross of North Star.
Moore said she’s thrilled to be getting a service dog sooner than she anticipated but she has one last obstacle to overcome – finding a new home.
The lease on her apartment is up at the end of the month and three house deals have recently fallen through, leaving her unsure whether the family – or Luka – will stay.
Money is tight for Moore. Her husband died in 2009, just before Isabel was diagnosed with autism, and the family is living off his insurance money until Moore completes her bachelor’s degree in December.
She is taking online courses in psychology so she can keep focusing all her time and energy on Isabel and her 19-month-old son Nathan until she goes back to work.
“It’s one obstacle at a time,” she said.
Stacia Glenn: 253-597-8653
stacia.glenn@thenewstribune.com
