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AFTER A TENSE 24-hour search, autism assistance dog Darcy has been found in Ennis.
The good news comes after a major panic among the dog’s owners and charity group Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland.
The black Labrador became separated from his family while out on a walk yesterday morning and could not be found anywhere during the day, despite an extensive search.
Ennis dog warden Frankie stayed up overnight to continue the operation and Darcy was eventually found in an abandoned house in the area. He is said to be doing well and is not injured.
“He was spooked by something and charged off,” explained owner Miriam Coptu, who was delighted that the family dog was en route to their home as she spoke to TheJournal.ie.
Darcy came to live with them last August and has made a dramatic difference to the daily life of her eight-year-old daughter.
Sadia lives with autism and is non-verbal.
“She has come along a lot since Darcy,” explains Miriam. “He interacts with her. She communicates with him in her own way. She now has two-word sentences such as ‘Come inside’ and ‘Darcy Jump’.
“It is amazing to see these things. He is a big part of our lives now.”
Darcy will be taken to the vet for a full checkup but first he will be reunited with Sadia.
What is an autism assistance dog?
Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland provides highly-trained assistance dogs to children with autism free of charge. The charity was established in 2010 and relies on volunteer trainers and fundraisers.
When a puppy is born, it is placed with a volunteer family which cares for it in their home for the first year. It is taken to places that it needs to be able to deal with when it becomes an assistance dog and gets used to wearing a red worker’s jacket. When it is about one, it is returned to the organisation for formal training with assistance dog trainer Nuala Geraghty for four to five months.
“Their role is mainly about the safety of the child,” Geraghty told TheJournal.ie. “The child wears a belt, which is attached to the jacket of the dog. Often, children with autism have no sense of danger and can bolt across roads etc. This keeps them safe and allows parents to relax, giving the child some independence.
“They make going outside a much more relaxing event. Life is more stressful and families often stop going out as a unit. This maintains safety and reduces anxiety.”
As well as the more practical role, assistance dogs also become a friend to the child with autism.
“They are a source of comfort,” continued Geraghty. “A constant friend in a home environment. A lot of the time, these children might not have friends.”
Learn more about Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland here.
That’s lovely isn’t it
@John Culhane: such a contrast in characters.. a real Garda shot during duty this morning and this waster in the next article.
There’s obviously a food chain in the Gardaí too, this clown at the bottom
@John Culhane: no comment to make on the guard getting shot carrying out his duty this morning?
No psychiatric report ordered? Strange.
@Joe Bloggs: there is zero logic in that comment. Are you suggesting that arresting drunk drivers is a bad thing and he’s being punished for doing it or its his reward?
No logic
Two months weren’t enough. His brief obviously didn’t say he had a hard upbringing.
@Keith Ellis: You won’t find a lot of cases where people get a prison sentence for a drink driving charge.
However bad his behaviour was, it occurred after the offence of drunk driving was committed. As such it was irrelevant in deciding the penalty unless he was also charged with a public order offence and there’s no mention of that. The judge is wrong here.
@John Fahy: every single day in every single court a persons behavior after arrest and in court are considered. An apology gets a reduction, offering compensation gets a reduction, resisting arrest gets an increase.
@John Fahy: lets see if he appeals it
The truth always comes out wit a few beers in you
Well done to The GARDA doing their work
@pat seery: no point appealing it. By the time the appeal comes to court he’ll be long released
Voodoo now a Garda tool
The onset of something something ,I seen this before
I once worked with this man and found him to be an absolute gentleman, he was understanding and caring. In his capacity as a Garda Sargent he went beyond the call of duty to assist people .
I can’t understand what happened to him to create this Jekyll character. I’m so sorry to hear it.
@Donnie McGowan: booze does that to some people. Most of us know someone like that
@Misanthrope: True enough, some people are just nasty drunks and should give it up.
@Donnie McGowan: only time I’ve ever heard of a personality shit like that the man was later diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Can you imagine what he was like as a garda.
Thank God he’s retired.Its the likes of that bad pill that gives the Gardai a bad name because overall there’s a decent lot in the Gardai today thank God.Imagine somebody wishing cancer on a person.Just disgusting.
Correction – Apologies. Good to hear stories which show there are honest Gardai who are prepared to make arrests and breathalyse people at accident scenes – and arrest one of their own – if the Gardai want to restore public confidence in them – this is how they do it by being honest and doing the job they are supposed to.
Any man that would use the language he used and went to the extent of writing it down on paper obviously has mental health issues ,this man worked for 35 years as a garda ,his fellow member said that he had worked with him and said he had been kind and intelligent ,this needs to be investigated further ,if the man has mental health issues he needs to be given sympathy not locked up .the the judge with all his experience got it wrong by the looks of things .
@Anthony Gallagher:
I couldn’t agree more. Even the prosecuting garda said he was kind and intelligent and he was clearly competent enough to be promoted during his career. It certainly sounds like some form of mental illness . How else could you explain such a drastic change in personality and such hatred toward his former colleagues.
I have had previous experience with Mr Kiely. This is totally out of character for this man. I find it hard to understand what has happened him over the last number of years.
I find it hard to believe that this is the man I knew. For it’s totally out of character.
Joe Kiely is one of the most helpful and understanding individuals you could wish to meet.
Very nasty comments this x garda made more like school boy antics but he was charged with driving over the limit ,period. First offence ive never heard of anyone been imprisoned . gardai hear much worse during the course of arrests but I think judge over stepped the mark in this case
@Mark Dawson: it’s the deep venom and belief he has the curse to pass it on that is so bad.
Hopefully whilst in prison he’ll be on the wrong side of some prison love. That’ll soften his cough
@Tom Harpur: you wish a person to be raped? Really? For drink driving it because he was a cop for 34 years?
You sir, are a vile person
@Tom Harpur: I don’t care what crime someone commits, if you wish rape on them you need to be locked away from the public too
And he served as a Garda I would love to know the type of law he upheld in his time as a Garda
@Alan Scott: a great man to fill in the statistics too I’ll bet.
I also can’t understand his behaviour. I know this man and to me he was a gentleman. Something has obviously happened in the 6 months since I last saw him.
Good to hear stories which show there are honest Gardai who are prepared to make arrests and breathalyse people at accident scenes – and arrest one of their – of the Gardai want to restore public confidence in them – this is how they do it by being honest and doing the job they are supposed to. ☮️
@Rita Gleeson: would he have ever been bagged if he hadn’t crashed into somebody though?
My god, it’s like an evil version of a Myles na Gopaleen story. Bizarre.
what a horrible person. seriously horrible.
Sorry, seen a picture of this man. Not the same man i was thinking of.
C u Next Tuesday
Such a bold sergeant
“Sean McGee acting for solicitor Catherine Boner”
had to check if it was April 1st.
Oh no
have your say