Brandon Twp.- Jamie Robertson was six-years-old when he unlocked the front door of his home that borders seven acres of woods and decided to take a stroll.
His mother, Sharon Robertson, was putting her younger son down for a nap and came back to find the door shut and Jamie, who is autistic, gone.
‘I was panicking,? recalls Robertson, who didn’t know her son was capable of unlocking the door. ‘It really scared me.?
She found her son, who is unable to speak and traveled half a block, minutes later.
Jamie is now 15, and Robertson says he knows better than to disappear. But recently, Jamie was on hand at the 50-acre O.A.T.S. facility, to be searched for again.
O.A.T.S. (Offering Alternative Therapy with Smiles), a non-profit organization which offers horseback riding for children and adults with special needs, teamed with the Michigan Search Dog Association on March 11 for a training exercise in which dogs tracked autistic children.
According to the Autism Society of America website (www.autism-society.org), autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. The disorder, of which the cause is unknown, affects as many as 1.5 million Americans.
Barks fill the air on the sunny, breezy day as eight certified dogs and five more that are in training prepare to track through extensive woods and trails on the property.
Richter, a German Shepherd dog wearing an orange vest, soon takes off from handler Cassandra Goulding, following the scent of a non-autistic volunteer, Lindsey Meyer. He locates her behind a tree and barks, then races back to Goulding to lead her to the ‘victim.? The victorious dog is soon rewarded with praise and a favorite toy.
‘We’re working on a joint effort with O.A.T.S. to build a background and history so that we have a stronger understanding of how to approach lost, autistic children,? says Brant Mitchell, president of the MSDA board and captain of field response. ‘Autistic children can be unpredictable, and we are looking where the greatest needs might be for search and rescue. We are building a better foundation with agencies that may have a need in the future.?
The MSDA is a 3-year-old non-profit organization comprised entirely of North American Police Working Dog Association certified, deployable K-9 teams. Services are available to any local city, state or federal government agency free of charge.
‘Because so many autistic children become lost, we thought (the training) would be good,? says O.A.T.S. founder and owner Nancy Heussner. ‘They can give us help and we help them learn about autism.?