Unleashing Hope
Unleashing Hope: The Power of Service Dogs for Children with Autism
Watch the official trailer and discover the life-changing bond between children with autism and their service dogs in Unleashing Hope: The Power of Service Dogs for Children with Autism. The new service dog documentary begins streaming April 22, in celebration of Autism Awareness Month. It’s available exclusively on Hulu.
Guide Dogs of America | Tender Loving Canines (GDA | TLC) is honored to have our Autism Service Dog Program featured in the documentary, highlighting the important work that GDA | TLC and our dogs do to support children with autism.
About Unleashing Hope
This powerful film showcases the unbreakable bond between children on the autism spectrum and their service dogs, expertly matched and trained through GDA | TLC’s innovative Autism Service Dog Program. Viewers will witness firsthand how these incredible dogs are not only changing lives, but they’re also saving them.
The film follows deep personal journeys, including that of Rosie O’Donnell and her child Clay, as well as another young recipient named Kaleb, whose lives were profoundly transformed after being matched with a GDA | TLC trained service dog.
“My child is completely different because of the dog. They saved my child’s life. The healing started,” O’Donnell shared in a recent interview. Clay, who identifies as nonbinary and was diagnosed with autism at age two, experienced a dramatic shift in their ability to connect and thrive after being paired with their service dog Kuma. “They have calmed down. They have a sense of connection. I was in shock. At the end of the year, they were getting most improved student at school.”
A Groundbreaking Approach to Service Dog Training
Beyond the stories of these families, Unleashing Hope also highlights the extraordinary work being done behind the scenes. GDA | TLC’s service dogs are trained by incarcerated individuals inside a maximum-security prison, through a rehabilitative training program based on positive reinforcement. This groundbreaking approach not only prepares service dogs to become life-changing partners but also profoundly impacts the lives of their trainers.
“When Rosie told us about the life-changing impact Kuma had on Clay, we knew this was a story that needed to be shared,” said producers Terence J. Noonan and Hilary Estey McLoughlin. “Unleashing Hope shines a light on the ripple effect these dogs have – not only on the children and their families, but also on the incarcerated trainers whose lives are transformed by the opportunity to give back.”
About Guide Dogs of America | Tender Loving Canines
Guide Dogs of America | Tender Loving Canines provides these highly trained autism service dogs at no cost to eligible children and their families. The need continues to grow – and with it, GDA | TLC’s commitment to meeting that need.
At the heart of Guide Dogs of America | Tender Loving Canines (GDA | TLC) is a mission rooted in hope – for the children who receive service dogs, for their families, and for the incarcerated trainers who help prepare the dogs for their future roles. It’s a mission that believes in second chances, in the healing power of connection, and in the incredible things that can happen when lives are brought together with purpose.
“We’re incredibly proud of the work being done through this program,” said Zack Gittlen, Vice President of Strategy & Operations at GDA | TLC. “This documentary is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when we come together with compassion, purpose, and hope.”
A heartfelt thank you to Rosie O’Donnell and NY27 Productions for bringing this vital story to life. Unleashing Hope is produced by NY27 Productions with distribution across Hulu, ABC Owned Stations and ABC News Live. Partner Toys“R”Us has joined in support of the project.
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