|
|
Article: Assistance dogs a lifeline for some with disabilities.
- Article from:
- Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service
- Article date:
- March 4, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
There are dog people and cat people. As Mary Bly once said, ``Dogs come when they're called; cats take a message and get back to you.''
Mike Wilson's dog does more than just come when he's called. Wilson is a 26-year-old blues band drummer from Hampton with the rare neuromuscular disease nemaline myopathy. His dog, Onyx, is a black Lab-golden retriever mix.
Onyx is Wilson's lifeline, performing tasks he can't do. Because of the disease, Wilson loses strength quickly.
With the help of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Wilson got his dog for free through Animals in the Military Helping Individuals (AIM HI), a program sponsored by the Department ...