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Experts Said it Wouldn't Work, But Rescue Dog and Dying 4-yr-old
Proved Them Wrong
By Michelle Leifer, Vetstreet.com Wednesday, February 01, 2012

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Service dog guards wheelchair in Hembree family photo As nearly anyone who has adopted a pet from a shelter can attest, there’s something special about a rescued animal; it’s as if they can sense they’ve been given a second chance at life. That’s certainly the case with Juno, a Belgian Malinois who was adopted just days before she was to be euthanized. But since coming to live with her family in Alcoa, Tenn., she now has taken on the role of rescuer to a dying boy whom experts believed was not suited for any service dog.

Four-year-old Lucas Hembree suffers from Sanfilippo syndrome, an
inherited, metabolic disease that causes children to lose the ability
to speak, walk and eat. The disease also causes severe neurological
damage that leads to aggressive behavior, hyperactivity and seizures.

With no cure or treatment currently available, Lucas isn’t expected to
live past the age of 15 and may be in a vegetative state by the time
he is eight. Realizing that every moment is extra precious, Chester
and his wife, Jennifer, wanted their son to experience as much as he
could while still having the capacity to enjoy life.

A Faith-filled Shelter Visit

When the disease started to take a toll on Lucas’ joints, Chester
looked into getting a service dog to keep Lucas steady when he walked.

“I was told that a service dog would cost at least $15,000, and that
Lucas wasn’t a good candidate because of his deteriorating abilities
and his behavior,” Chester says. “I refused to accept this answer.”

A combination of prayer and persistence led Chester to Juno. “I came across a posting about her on a rescue group’s website,” he says. “I had the feeling in my gut that I had to go see this dog.”

The whole family made the two-hour trip to meet Juno, who was being held at an east Tennessee shelter. “She was emaciated, and was days away from being euthanized,” Chester says. “She had been surrendered to the shelter because her previous owners didn’t understand the breed.”

Training Juno - Hembree family photoFortunately, Chester did. He’d
gotten to know and love the Belgian Malinois while working as a law
enforcement officer years earlier.

“I used to help with the training of police K-9s, and our dogs were
Belgian Malinoises,” he says. “I loved their desire to work and their
‘never quit’ attitude.” In addition to being a popular choice for
police dogs, the breed is often used in combat. In fact, it’s believed
that the dog which helped Navy SEALs take down Osama bin Laden was a Belgian Malinois.

Juno Proved a Winner

But while the breed has proven its prowess on patrol and in combat,
Chester needed to be sure Juno would be a suitable service dog for his little boy. “I put her on a loose leash and she walked with me and
never pulled,” Chester says. “Next came the Lucas test. They took to
each other immediately, like kindred spirits.”

The Hembrees brought Juno home and showered her with love and affection.

“I wanted to make sure she had plenty of time to adjust to the family
before I started the formal training,” Chester says. Yet, from the
beginning there seemed to be something instinctive about their
relationship. One day, Chester noticed Juno circling Lucas while he
was in his wheelchair. “She was whining and nudging him with her
nose,” Chester says. “I checked his oxygen levels and they were very
low.” After giving him oxygen, Lucas returned to normal and Juno
greeted him with licks and affection.

“That’s when I knew she had the Juno and Lucus, inseparable - Hembree family photoability to pick up on his neurological changes,” Chester says. “Now she alerts us when Lucas is about to have a seizure or if his oxygen levels drop really low. She has saved him several times."

Juno has become a literal shoulder for Lucas to lean on when walking, and a calming influence when he became agitated. And while Chester makes sure that Juno gets time off, he says that it’s hard to get Juno to leave Lucas’ side. “You don’t see one without the other close by,” he says. “It really feels like it was meant to be.”

To learn more about Lucas you can go to the Facebook page his dad
writes about Lucas.