One of the most important events in any high school students life is the day yearbooks come out. Everyone flips through their yearbooks to find their pictures, but this time was different for Hailee Blonquist. This year she was in for a surprise, pictured next to her was her golden retriever, Katie, a service dog that started coming to school with her every day 2 years ago.
“Everyone loves Katie. She’s always been by my side.”
Katie was right next to her as “Katie Blonquist” which was pretty cool for the 17-year-old junior.
When Hailee ended up in hospital ERs several times following dangerously low dips in her blood sugar level due to her Type 1 Diabetes causing her mother said they had to do something.
She would have seizures lasting 20 minutes or more the family was living with fear every day and tried desperately to control the blood sugar levels.
A friend had told Hailee’s parents about an organization called Tattletale Scent Dogs. These dogs are trained to “alert” owners with diabetes when glucose levels are too high or too low. They decided to get a puppy for Hailee.
Katie alerts Hailee when her blood sugar levels are about to dip or spike dramatically. The dog is trained to get her a juice box at home or she will place her paw on Hailee’s left hand or give someone else a hand signal.
She quickly became everybody’s friend when Hailee started bringing her to school. Now that Katie has been in the yearbook, hopes are that next year there will be one difference…
“Since it will be my senior year, I want her to wear a cap and gown and have a senior quote,” she tells PEOPLE. “Something like, ‘Hey, do you want F-O-O-D?’ Katie’s one smart dog. When you spell something out, she definitely understands it.”
The video below is just another example of why dogs are “Man’s Best Friend”
Meet Honey and Sophia. See how these dogs are trained to detect drastic changes in blood sugar levels.
Upvote Downvote
Total votes: 0
Upvotes: 0
Upvotes percentage: 0.000000%
Downvotes: 0
Downvotes percentage: 0.000000%