Roman and Kita: Counting Down to a New Adventure

5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Roman and Kita are officially a placed team!

At Retrieving Freedom, every Service Dog spends a minimum of two years in training, preparing for the partner they will one day serve. For Kita, that partner is Roman, and their special bond formed very quickly.

Roman loves asking Kita for the task he wants her to do, and one of his favorite things is counting down to let his mom, Karie, know exactly what he wants from Kita. It is a little ritual all their own, and it captures just how much joy this partnership has already brought into their lives.

That partnership recently solved a real challenge, too. Roman had started running ahead of his mom to open doors for her. While his desire to help was incredibly sweet, Karie was beginning to worry that running ahead could become unsafe.

During team training, Kita learned to push the accessibility buttons that open automatic doors. Now, when they approach a door with a button, Kita gets to push it! And if there is no button, Roman can help by opening the door himself.

Most importantly, Roman is no longer running ahead of his mom. With Kita by his side, they found a way for Roman to continue doing something he loves, helping his mom, while staying close and safe. For children with autism, this is what a Service Dog partnership looks like: not replacing what a child loves to do, but finding a safer way to do it together.

Kita was trained by Service Dog Instructor Alyssa, and just before Alyssa left on leave, Kita passed her final task test. All of Alyssa's hard work helped prepare Kita for this moment and for the very important job she now has by Roman's side.

Every Service Dog for children with autism is placed at no cost to the family, made possible by the generosity of our donors, volunteers, puppy raisers, and sponsors. Placements like this one belong to everyone who had a hand in Kita's journey.

We are so happy for Roman and Kita and cannot wait to see their bond continue to grow. 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... here's to their next adventure together!

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