'Holiday Miracle,' Missing Service Dog Reunited With Family

Written by Lisa Gentes-Hunt, Michael Woyton and Plamena Pesheva

One Westchester family received an early "holiday miracle." After days of searching, their autistic son's service dog is finally back home.

"Echo, the missing autism service dog, has returned home," the Rye Police Department stated in a release today. "The family thanks all who assisted in searching for her."

A good Samaritan dropped off Echo to her Rye home at about 1:15 p.m. Friday, according to Kelly Lee of Co-Communications. "Echo is in great condition and the family is extremely thankful to have her home."

Echo, a 55-pound black female Labrador retriever, a Guiding Eyes dog, is back with little Mark and the rest of the Fontana family in Rye.

"A woman brought her back to the house," friend Gina von Eiff told Patch in an email. "This is truly a holiday miracle."

The Fontana family was accepted into the Heeling Autism program so that Echo could support their son Mark.

On average it costs $45,000 to breed, train and provide a lifetime of follow up care for one of Guiding Eyes for the Blind's dogs. These dogs are provided to families at no cost to them.

"The value on the side of the family is immeasurable,"  Vice President of Marketing and Development at Guiding Eyes for the Blind Sue Dishart said. "The placement of one of our dogs with them is life-changing."

For families with autistic children, life can be extraordinarily stressful – from finding the right therapies to dealing with the neurological disorder's impact on the entire family. But 'Heeling Autism' provides an improved quality of life for both the family and the child.