5th August 2025
Our middle son, Senan, was diagnosed with autism in May 2018. At that time, our family temporarily fostered autism assistance dogs on weekends and immediately saw the sensory benefits for Senan.
In autumn 2021, we were very fortunate to secure a place on the waiting list for our own assistance dog.
Quest joined our family in July 2022 — a beautiful, noble golden retriever who brought instant calm to our home. At the time, Senan was a considerable flight risk. He would bolt at any opportunity, making social outings, trips to the supermarket, or even simple activities almost impossible.
Suddenly, with Quest anchoring him, family outings became possible. Within just two weeks, we managed a weekend away to Aillwee Caves — something we would have considered impossible before.
Senan’s communication improved as well. New words started to emerge, linked directly to his interactions with Quest: “dinner time,” “lie down Quest,” “leave it.” The stress and anxiety levels within our home dropped significantly, all thanks to Quest.
We’re deeply grateful to Quest’s incredible foster moms from Stryker — Áine, Caoimhe, and Sarah — who played an integral role in his early development. They gave Quest a home environment to learn new skills and socialise before his formal training. We feel so lucky they’re still part of his life today, especially Áine, who always helps if we need a dog sitter.
We truly don’t have enough words to thank them.
Addi, Senan’s mom