Cross-Country 'Doggie Relay' Keeps Autistic Child United with Pets

Cross-Country 'Doggie Relay' Keeps Autistic Child United with Pets

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=50892
7/26/2005 2:07:00 PM


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PITTSBURGH, July 26, / U.S. Newswire/ -- The "dog days" of summer 
took on new meaning for a McDonald, Pa., family this week when they 
found out that they couldn't transport their two laborador 
retrievers on their move to Phoenix, Ariz. due to the intense 
heatwave gripping most of the country. The family, who has a child 
with autism, were forced to find new homes for their pets, that is, 
until they turned to AutismLink, a nationwide autism support 
organization.

"The family contacted us looking for someone to take their pets." 
said Cindy Waeltermann, AutismLink Director, "They had no means of 
transporting them because the father had left for his new job with 
the only family car." That's when AutismLink families jumped into 
action. Jenny Webster of DuBois, Pa., a mother of an autistic child 
herself, refused to let the family go without the pets.

"This is a story about an autistic boy who is about to lose most 
everything familiar to him. He's moving to a new state, new home, 
new school and will be meeting all new people." Webster 
said, "Change in routine is very disruptive for someone with autism. 
It truly is a matter of need not want, as far as I am concerned."

Webster turned to the autism community for help and has organized 
a "doggie relay" from Pittsburgh, Pa., to Phoenix, Ariz. to reunite 
the family with their pets. "I sent out a plea to the autism 
community, people who are tapped financially and physically, and 
still I got offers of money and man power to make this relay 
possible. It's truly incredible!" Webster said.

Lenore Wossidlo of Pittsburgh, Pa., a member of AutismLink and 
mother of an autistic child, helped to raise funds for the 
event. "As an animal lover and a parent of two children, I know the 
value of the relationship between this special child and his dogs," 
Wossidlo said, "I got involved because he cannot be without them." 
Wossidlo is taking the Pittsburgh to Sharon, Pa., leg of the relay, 
where she'll hand the dogs over to Webster. 

"Volunteers are still needed," said Waeltermann, "we need someone to 
take the dogs from Indiana to Missouri, and from Missouri to 
Oklahoma." If no volunteers are found, Jenny Webster will complete 
the drive from Sharon, Pa., to Oklahoma. The last leg of the journey 
from Oklahoma to Phoenix is being conducted by Jenn Engle of 
Albuquerque, N.M.

The drive will take place this Friday, July 29, and AutismLink is 
hoping to find more volunteers and more financial resources to make 
this trip a reality. To volunteer as a driver, contact 
info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx or jwebs94@xxxxxxxxxxxxx To donate funds for the 
journey, visit http://www.autismlink.com