Having a dog is special to any pet-loving owner, but for some people, it’s completely life-changing. Dogs for the Disabled, an Irish charity set up in 2007, trains and provides assistance dogs for children and adults with physical disabilities, letting them do tasks that would otherwise be impossible – from turning the lights on and off to going to school or work every day.
Patrick, a student in Cork City, relearned how to walk with the support of an assistance dog after post-op complications left him disabled at the age of three. Now seventeen, he recently took his Junior Cert (high school exams), and earlier this year spent a week of work experience in Zazzle’s Ireland office, all with his black Labrador Henry by his side. Late last year, Patrick had an operation to have his spine straightened and will need to again re-learn to walk, which he will do!
He was paired up with Henry three years ago by Dogs for the Disabled, with every dog from the charity being matched to each owner’s specific needs. Dogs are trained to help with everything from opening and closing doors to getting dressed to picking up the phone or mail in the morning. This support enormously improves the independence and confidence of owners, allowing them to live their lives to the fullest. Eighty-five percent of applicants are children, and the difference one of the highly-trained assistance dogs makes is priceless. As part of a unique assistance dog stability program, specially trained dogs help disabled children learn how to walk by providing a stable base and forward motion through a harness and handle.
The charity has received no government funding to date so when Patrick was working at Zazzle, he was keen to create a store for the cause. Like other non-profit Zazzle stores, it’s set up so that any royalties earned go back to the charity. It’s still early, but so far the Zazzle store is selling cards, shirts, and a particularly adorable golden retriever clock! There’s also a soccer ball and perhaps, Patrick suggested, Zazzle should start to make rugby balls – Peter O’Mahoney, the Ireland Rugby team captain, is the charity’s patron.
Patrick hopes to fill the store out with more products soon. He found the set up easy and enjoyable and has a few pieces of advice for other charities thinking of doing the same: “1. Keep your royalties reasonably low so the product price stays competitive – you will make more sales. 2. Don’t worry if you’re not that good with computers – the design tool is easy to use for those that are reasonably tech-savvy and creative. 3. Have fun with it! The more fun you have, the better your designs will be.” We think that’s pretty good advice and hope the Dogs for the Disabled store continues to make sales which are funding a great cause.
To find out more about Dogs for the Disabled, or to make a donation, please visit their webpage here.
Matilda is Marketing Manager in the International Team, bringing Zazzle to customers everywhere from Sydney to Stockholm.
Thanks for sharing Patrick’s inspiring story. I hope you do a follow-up story about his recovery from his next surgery.