Pawtism awarded a grant to this family in July 2024. Here is their update after receiving their service dog, Fitz:

He goes everywhere with us! He goes to school where she is able to ask for him all through the day. We added him to her AAC device. We also worked with ABA therapy, where they give her options for self-soothing strategies – of course, Fitz is one of those strategies! All throughout the day, she will say, “I want Fitz.” Since I am his handler, I call him over to her and say, “Hug Sandy Kay, Fitz.” He will lie across her lap and give her pressure on her body. She will calm down and smile. He also goes with us to church and other places in the community. I constantly see her petting him in the car, and he will lay his head beside her. They are becoming a nice little team. 

They also offered some advice for other families considering if an autism assistance dog would be right for them:

An autism service dog is not a cure-all. It is a tool, and it takes time to develop a relationship. That’s why I take him everywhere. I feel like this is a relationship that I have to make time to invest in. Thankfully, our trainer picked a very smart dog that has just the right temperament and personality to pull off this life. He loves being with us and is so patient with Sandy Kay, even when she can be heavy-handed or aggressive. We have also noticed that he listens to me, but not my husband so much. So now my husband is going back to the trainer to work with the trainer and Fitz 1:1. We both need to be handlers and be obeyed.