Supporting a boy and his dog

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/02/2018 (2905 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

La Salle residents are rallying around the Lamont family to raise the $30,000 needed to buy and train a service dog.

Sam Lamont, 13, has autism, severe ADHD and high anxiety disorder. His condition renders him unable to leave his home other than to attend school and medical appointments. He’s prone to emotional outbursts.

“I was really concerned that he wasn’t leaving the house,” his mother Lori said. Sam’s condition also affects the family as a whole as they aren’t able to participate in social events or go on holiday.

Lori said Sam was diagnosed about four years ago when he was struggling as a student at La Salle School.

“He was a mystery for a long time,” she said, adding that Sam wasn’t able to complete his schoolwork, take part in regular activities, and, most frightening, would sometimes run away from school.

He’s now attending classes through the Manitoba Adolescent Treatment Centre in Winnipeg with the goal of being able to re-enter the public school system.
When younger, Sam was able to participate in local sports but gradually withdrew from all outside activities.

Lori, husband Josh and daughters Rachel, 24 and Emma, 20 also have to face Sam’s aggressive outbursts at times.

In researching ways to help her son, Lori said she came across service dogs trained by Search and Rescue Manitoba. These dogs are specially bred and more thoroughly trained than are companion dogs.

“It’s a year and a half to two years of training,” Lori said. Due to all the work involved, the cost of a dog is $30,000.

The Lamonts decided to pay the $5,000 deposit for Hanna, a chocolate lab/ poodle cross, after MSAR staff tested Sam with another service dog. Lori said, after Sam met and spent time with a trained dog, he was willing to go to a Winnipeg shopping mall and walk through the mall with the dog — something he never would have willing done without the dog present.

Lori said the family was amazed by this experience.

“That gave us so much hope,” she said.

Sam is now spending time with Hanna each month while her training continues.

“He’s responded really positively to her.”

Family friend Tracy Forsyth is leading local fundraising efforts to raise the money needed to get Hanna for Sam.

A community bottle drive generated close to $200, a tea and honey sale brought in $1,600 and about $825 has been donated through a GoFundMe campaign.

Forsyth said she and Lori met when their sons were on the same baseball team. She knew that she had to support the Lamonts even though the family didn’t make a public request for help.

“Getting Hanna will be life-changing for Sam and his family,” Forsyth said.

She’s now taking orders for a perogy sale fundraiser with delivery in mid-March.

A Bud, Spud and Steak night is planned for Fri., April 6 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Kingswood Golf and Country Club, PR 247 in La Salle.

Lori said the family is very grateful for the community support shown.

Information on the fundraising campaign can be found on the La Salle Manitoba Talk Facebook page and the GoFundMe campaign is at https://www.gofundme.com/a-masr-dog-named-hanna-for-sam