Discrimination based on junk science.
That’s according to Communication Specialist with Autism Ontario Michael Cnudde following a Facebook post from Kismutt Rescue, a dog rescue near St. Marys who posted about not adopting dogs out to families with children living with Autism due to past violence.
Cnudde says the post is deeply troubling.
Cnudde adds as a previous educator and someone on the spectrum those are just not true facts.
In fact he says, people living with disabilities are more likely to be victims of violence.
He adds that Autism Ontario is open to reaching out and working with the business.
myFM has reached out to Kismutt Rescue and at this time we have not received a response.
The full statement from the Kismutt Rescue Facebook page can be found below…
“Mama Bears
Rescue is hard, and no one knows it unless you actually do it. To all the rescues out there….my hats off to you!
I have been doing rescue for just over 22 years. I have owned my own shelter for 15 of those years. One of the hardest parts of rescue is the emotional aspect of it. Making tough decisions, learning by mistakes and witnessing severe injury, disease and death in animals.
I am going to tell you a little story. It is hard for me to tell this story because it absolutely broke my heart. Twice. I think it was 2008 or 2009, I adopted a dog to a family with an Autistic child who was 7 or 8 years old. I met the child who was verbal and he seemed to get on with the dog well. The dog was fabulous and snuggled right up to the boy. I liked the parents and they had a nice home and a good application.
I let the family adopt the dog. It was 5 or 6 days later I got a call from the Mom, crying, saying it wasn’t working out. She went on to explain that the dog had some wounds on his head and ears and wanted to be upfront with me. Her son had been biting the dog when he would have a “melt down”. I felt sick. I was, however, VERY thankful she was honest and returned the dog to me. When I got the dog back, I cried my eyes out when I seen his head. Huge human bite marks on his head and ears. I felt so awful.
In 2012, I adopted a dog to another family with an Autistic child and this time, I thought it would be ok. Time had past and what happened before was just one incident with one Autistic child and the chances of it happening again would be very very low, I told myself. I was wrong.
To make a long story short, this new dog, a Shepered/Golden Ret., came back to me 10 days later with 9 stitches in it’s head. The 11 year old Autistic child smashed a fan over the dogs head and cut her and bit her.
You can imagine my devastation. I was sick about it. To this day, I relive it in my mind.
After the second incident with the second dog, I made a policy that NO dog will be adopted into homes with Autistic children.
Guess what….I have 2 children of my own and I know what it is to be a Mama Bear. As well, when it comes to the rescue dogs at Kismutt, I am even more of a Mama Bear.
Parents of Autistic children are also Mama Bears. Of course they are, I get that. We have a lovely teacher who volunteers on weekends that specifically works with Autistic children in regular schools. She told me 99% of her Autistic students have outbursts and can be aggressive and violent. She is a professional in her field and highly respected.
Some may critize my policy, but I just will not take a chance with another dog.
Erin Doan, my rescue dogs are deserving of SAFE, loving forever homes. That’s my job. If you don’t like it, too bad.
Just because a parent of an Autistic child thinks their child is perfect…..don’t ALL Mom’s think their children are perfect?”
Written by: Rob Ross
