Family pet helped autistic boy - Online pet insurance quote

Posted : 30-04-2008

A dog that helped a severely-disabled boy has been praised by his mother in a new book.

Nuala Gardner, from Gourock near Glasgow, told the Sun newspaper that her son Dale, who suffers from autism, needed constant care, which she found difficult to cope with.

Prone to violent tantrums and unable to communicate with anyone, Dale's condition was difficult for doctors to treat and caused heartache for Ms Gardner.

However, when the family bought a pet - golden retriever Henry - things began to improve for Dale and his mum.

Ms Gardner told the paper: "We got Henry when Dale was five and the transformation was immediate.

"I went down the next morning to hear Dale talking to Henry in a way he'd never spoken before."

She also revealed that if she spoke to Dale pretending it was Henry, her son would respond - and said that his progress "went through the roof".

Unfortunately, Henry eventually had to be put down, but Ms Gardner has written a book - A Friend Like Henry - to commemorate the special pet.

The use of animals to help with medical conditions is common, with organisations such as Pets As Therapy offering cats and dogs to help patients with their recovery.

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