Ottawa family seeks public’s help in finding service dog for 2 children with autism

ESSEX, Ont. — An Ottawa family is appealing for the public’s help in locating their service dog.

Provincial police say the dog ran away in the Harrow, Ont.-area while the family was visiting southwestern Ontario during the Thanksgiving weekend.

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Jackie Hicks says the three-year-old golden retriever named “Sasha” escaped Saturday evening in the community about 40 kilometres south of Windsor.

Hicks says her son and daughter both have autism and depend on the therapeutic qualities, guidance and companionship of the dog and says her son hasn’t slept since the dog disappeared.

A group of volunteers searched the area on Monday night, but failed to locate the dog after a possible sighting that afternoon.

The family says “Sasha” is an indoor dog, so they are encouraging farmers to check their barns.