E very parent’s nightmare is not being able to keep their child safe. That’s what happened to Katja Hissler when her son Sami was diagnosed at age 4 with Type 1 diabetes. His erratic glucose numbers needed to be continuously managed. Katja needed to find an additional way to keep him safe, especially at night, as blood sugars can crash without warning. “Our family was looking for ways to better protect Sami, but also to find a new way of family life where diabetes is not always the limiting factor,” she said. That’s when Power Paws Assistance Dogs came in and provided a unique safety measure for Sami — Taylor, a diabetic alert dog. As one of only two agencies in Arizona accredited by Assistance Dogs International to train and place service dogs for the disabled, Power Paws has been a lifeline for families like Katja’s. The organization places highly skilled assistance dogs for children and adults with Type 1 diabetes, mobility impairments and people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. In Sami’s case, he needed a diabetic alert dog to signal when there is a change in his glucose levels. How? It’s all about the smell. These specially-trained dogs can actually smell a person’s glucose levels and alert the owner if they sense a suspicious change. Taylor will search the home until he finds Katja and then bow or nudge with his nose or paw until she goes to Sami to manage his care. “Training for each client is customized to mitigate their challenges,” said Power Paws executive director Elaine Starks. “We also add extra tasks for dogs, including the retrieval of medication or even pressing a 911 alert if a client is alone and falls into a state of unconsciousness.” Before a service dog is placed with a family, there is a comprehensive vetting and training process. A client’s physician must first verify the diagnosis and agree a service dog would improve the quality of life. Once a match is identified, a client will come to the agency for a three-week training session to learn how to handle a service dog. With a 98 percent success rate and the remaining 2 percent of dogs placed with programs serving veterans or special needs children, Power Paws is truly Power Paws Assistance Dogs takes ‘man’s best friend’ to a new level SERVICE WITH A SNIFF By Danielle Davis MAR/APR 2021 | 4 | FRONTDOORS MEDIA Photos courtesy of Power Paws Assistance Dogs continued >>>

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