LoveBug Project
The LoveBug Project is a special program that provides fully trained emotional support dogs for children battling a chronic disease or major illness. The program, in partnership with LoveDog, local rescues, and our many referral partners matches support dogs with families in need. Canine therapy is proven in peer reviewed studies to help offset symptoms such as pain, anxiety, depression, fear and loneliness.
Our clients within this program often face daunting challenges and uncertain futures while their child is receiving treatment away from home in a facility type environment. The siblings often tend to get lost in the shuffle during these difficult times as well. Finding a furry best friend in these tough times can make a big difference for the entire family.
Additionally, among children living below 100% of the federal poverty level, more than 1 in 5 (22%) had a mental, behavioral, or developmental disorders. Canine support dogs can alleviate stress and trauma, promote relaxation, reduce aggression, relieve agitation and anxiety as well as encourage movement, socialization and verbalization. Recent studies have shown that having pets leads to a number of mental health benefits such as improved self-esteem and creating a sense of purpose. Positive relationships with pets can aid in the development of trusting relationships with others as well as developing non verbal communication, compassion, and empathy. Treating a child’s mental health or developmental disorders at an early age can help reduce problems at home, in school, and in forming friendships. It can also help with healthy development into adulthood.
We at The LoveDog Foundation are here to help! Though the generosity of those who support our mission, the cost of our support dogs we deploy to clients including all vet expenses, food and staff training time will be covered at no cost to the family.
Our goal with the LoveDog Foundation is to
change lives “ONE PAW AT A TIME”
Love Bug Project Application Process:
The parent or guardian must send in an email to our [email protected] address with the following criteria; Full Name of Child, Child’s Date of Birth, Full Name of Parent/Legal Guardian, Primary Phone Number, Email, and Family Address. Also provide FULL details of your child’s medically diagnosed condition or illness along with their primary doctor or pediatrician and contact information.
After submitting this inquiry you will receive an email back detailing next steps. Although we would love to take every single applicant completing this process does not guarantee acceptance into The Love Bug Project.
We at The LoveDog Foundation would like to introduce you to
a very special little girl, Haley Piersall
Currently Haley is only seven years old and already knows she is different (her parents say unique), she goes to a special school, she talks differently, she feels pain and emotion differently. Additionally, Haley attends multiple speech sessions each week, special reading classes at school, and spends countless hours working on her words, her coordination, and her tongue/mouth/jaw placement while eating and drinking. She spends everyday working on the little things that most take for granted. Haley is a constant work in progress which to her, is very defeating.
So what will a support dog do for Haley? Her own furry best friend will be trained to love her unconditionally. She will have responsibility for walking and feeding her dog. Her new companion will give her a sense of responsibility and something she can excel at. Additionally, her support dog will help calm her down during extreme frustration when homework becomes too much, or she gets critiqued one too many times during a speech therapy session. And what breaks our heart the most, is when she is teased or left out by friends for not understanding or because she is the “quiet one”. Her support dog will help her out of these situations, deflect from the emotions, redirect her to a place of happiness. Having this means of support in her life will “change Haley” for the better.
Fast forward after the initial referral and selection process, Haley got to meet her new little “Love Bug” retriever for the first time, who she decided to name “Lovey!” We all melted of course! Lovey will be on site at our training facility working with our team until she is fully potty trained and ready to start having some occasional “overnight visits” with her new family, which will help she and Haley start the bonding process. Additionally, we promised Haley she could come and visit her little pup anytime during the week or weekends as Lovey transitions through the stages of her training program. We are so honored to share this story and these photos of little Haley and her new pup “Lovey”.
In this case, the parents of Haley chose a lab retriever puppy handpicked from one of our breeders. This would be the best choice for Haley based on her mobility issues and need for a very solid and strong dog. Her pup Lovey comes from a solid bloodline and will have all necessary X-rays and diagnostics to ensure she is a viable long term choice for her prospective owner, in addition to being her sweet snuggly self.
Our team at The LoveDog Foundation also work very closely with local rescues as a source of support dogs for this program. We feel very strongly there are many dogs sitting in rescues or foster programs that have the temperament, personality, and physical endurance to make wonderful support dogs for many of our children clients.
If you are interested in donating to our Foundation, or sponsoring the cost for any of our future “LoveBug Dogs”, please contact us for additional information.
The emotional support dogs in this case will typically cost around $5,000 depending on the number of months the dog is with our trainers. This also includes all food, supplies, veterinary costs, and the price of the dog if one is applicable.
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