Chancer Winokur (FASD service dog) is in the top 20 dogs nominated in the service dog category. We have over 500 current votes out of 30,000 for all service dogs entered – Let’s make some noise about FASD – get friends and family to vote each day http://www.herodogawards.org/vote/?nominee=82443978 Chancer Winokur was the dog featured in the New York Times Article on Fetal Alcohol was nominated for Hero Dog – Service Dog Category in the 2012 Animal Humane Society. He was nominated by The Foundation for Service Dog Support Please consider joining this effort to build awareness. Maybe it will take a dog to get our “woof out” about fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.You are allowed to vote 1 x per day until June 30, 2011 – so like FASD this is a long haul in voting.
http://www.herodogawards.org/vote/?nominee=82443978 <—- copy and paste this into your browser to vote!
Appreciation for every vote.
Jodee Kulp
Chancer’s Story
The story of Chancer and our son, Iyal, takes you beyond any expectation you may have about dogs and boys. Two broken hearts became one in this inter-species partnership between Iyal, a virtual seven-year old in a thirteen year-old boy?s body and a winning ambassador in the guise of a lovable golden retriever, named Chancer. For Chancer is not an ordinary dog, but one specifically trained to help Iyal, to lead him out of his hidden world, while defining it for others. Chancer was trained by 4 Paws for Ability in Ohio as a Behavioral Assistance Dog for Iyal.
Chancer gives voice and spirit to his boys very real disability fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). This generous dog became a compass for our whole family as our journey through adoption and a devastating lifelong birth defect became a complex maze of medical, emotional and behavioral dead-ends. As Iyal’s mom I was determined to help him navigate a world that remained unfriendly to a child exhibiting uncontrollable and inappropriate behaviors with no outwardly visible cause. Chancer is the first certified service dog in the world trained specifically to assist a child with FASD.
Chancer is a subtle hero as he legitimizes and gives a uniquely inviting and valid presence to Iyal’s otherwise invisible disability. But the unconditional allegiance between Iyal and his “hero”has since served to inspire literally millions of people around the globe. Their story, “Wonder Dog” was featured in The New York Times Magazine on February 5, 2012.