Mother hopeful for daughter’s future with help from service dog

It might not seem like a big deal, but just walking into a Bellingham restaurant is a huge step for 15-year-old Kaelyn Drummond and her new dog Finnegan.

Kaelyn has cerebral palsy. The Mukilteo high school student hasn’t been able to walk much on her own her entire life, which is pretty tough when you want to be an active teenager.

She’s had to depend on an adult to get around. That’s until her new dog, Finnegan, came into her life.

Finnegan isn’t just an ordinary dog. The black Labradoodle has been trained specifically to serve Kaelyn and her unique needs.

“While I walk, I can hold onto his harness and he can provide stability,” Kaelyn explained. “When I fall, I can say the word, ‘brace,’ and he’ll make his body rigid so I can push up on him to get up off the floor.”

As Kaelyn puts Finnegan through his paces, trainer Denise Costanten keeps a close eye on the pair.

Denise is the founder and executive director of Brigadoon Service Dogs. She was a longtime breeder and trainer before she was inspired to use her unique connection to dogs to start training them.

Denise and her team handpick each dog for a specific task and client, like Kaelyn. Then they work for up to two years before they’re ready.

The day I visited, several people, along with Kaelyn, were working with their new dogs. A Vietnam veteran with profound PTSD now finds he can venture into crowds with the help of his new companion. A diabetic has a service dog that alerts her when her blood sugar is getting low.

“It’s opened up their world and given them independence again,” Costanten said. “They can rejoin society again &#8212 the rest of the community &#8212 and do it with confidence.”

It’s not easy and it’s not cheap. Costanten has several dozen dogs undergoing training at any one time. While she doesn’t take a salary, the costs are through the roof. Brigadoon spends an average of $25,000 a year on food, flea medicine, and medical care.

That’s why Costanten asks for help for fundraising up to $10,000 towards the costs. The rest is covered by donations. Brigadoon gives veterans the dogs for free.

Kaelyn and her family did a number of fundraisers to come up with the money. Her mother, Kim, said it was worth every penny.

“For the first time, after Brigadoon made this match with Kaelyn, I honestly believe she’ll transition into independent living and go to college,” she said. “And I’ve never been certain of that until now.”

Seeing Kaelyn and Finn practice around a Kmart is nothing short of inspirational. He helps her reach items high up on shelves, and even picks up her keys or phone if she drops them. And he stays singularly focused, even if a kid comes by with a big ice cream cone or tries to pet him.

“It’s going to change my life a lot, it already has,” Kaelyn said. “I’ll be the only person in the school with a dog, so that will probably get some attention.”

After taking their final exams, Kaelyn and Finn graduated with flying colors, and now he’s a full-fledged member of the family.

Finn’s next big test: accompanying Kaelyn to Kamiak High School. After being left out of a lot because of her medical condition, she’s pretty excited to be one of the cool kids.