Ruby is a sweet-natured young girl who is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 1, Generalized Anxiety, and ADHD. She often feels scared to go in rooms of her home, away from the rest of the family. Her shy personality and social skills coupled with her anxiety makes the typical school setting difficult. She has a hard time making friends because her peers do not understand her struggles. While Ruby’s parents say she is a happy girl with a sweet smile, her autism and anxiety cause significant stress to her and her family every day. Their hope is that having an Assistance Dog will give Ruby confidence and peace, knowing someone is watching out for her, while also allowing the family to spend time together enjoying a normal life.
In August 2019, Ruby met her new best friend, ACADIA! ACADIA is a beautiful golden retriever who will help Ruby by anchoring to her anxiety and interrupting negative behaviors. ACADIA will also help by providing Deep Pressure Therapy, allowing Ruby to redirect her focus when she has a hard day. We are thrilled that Ruby and ACADIA are a part of our paws4people family, and are excited to watch this team grow together!
ACADIA was named by The Foundation for Gender Equality.
