Give a Dog a Bone … for Miles

Bo Violet Vig (left), Morgan Southall-Vancea (middle), Beatrice Schemel (right). – Courtesy Photo

At Village Playgarden preschool in Altadena, community is the core. So when three friends learned that their classmate Miles and his family needed to raise money for a service dog, they rallied together to find a way to help.

Six-year-old Miles is a lot like other boys his age. It’s all about laughing, trucks, dogs, and friends.

Unlike the rest of those kids, however, Miles was born with Dandy Walker syndrome, a rather unfortunately named neurological condition as it has severely impacted his ability to stand and walk. In order to get around he crawls from place to place. Miles has not yet experienced the joy of jumping, skipping, or running. The right help for Miles now is a service dog. Miles’ four-legged pal will be outfitted with a handle on his/her back that Miles will be able to hold on to, providing stability while he transitions from crawling to walking.

Miles’ family heard about 4 Paws for Ability, a respected non-profit organization that raises and trains service dogs specific to an individual’s disability. The greater community is committed to helping the family raise $15,000 so that Miles can get a dog that meets his specific needs.

That’s when three friends had an idea; a win-win idea.

Earlier this year, Morgan Southall-Vancea and her mom Leanne made dog treats to pass out to shelter dogs using the Pasadena Humane Society’s online recipe. Morgan’s own dog Marty devoured them (“two paws up!”). So they thought, why not bake more bones for more furry friends to raise money for Miles’ service dog?

Morgan and mom Leanne Southall checking out their baked goods. – Courtesy Photo

Morgan, alumni of Village Playgarden and currently at Pasadena Waldorf School, enlisted her friends Bo Violet, another VPG alumni, and Beatrice Schemel, a current VPG student – all dog lovers – to help out!

Morgan’s mom Leanne Southall created a website. After some social media mentions and a tweet from Australian singer/songwriter Sia, orders started rolling in. The trio of girls and their moms gathered on a sunny autumn afternoon to mix, beat, roll and bake (while their own dogs looked on longingly) over 16 dozen dog treats.

“We’re trying to teach our daughters the importance of community and giving back,” said Leanne. “The girls were excited to help and have a tangible and creative way to help Miles reach his goal of getting a trained dog to help with his mobility.”

From a handful of hearts, to large personalized dog bones, the girls created a treasure trove of canine treats and raised over $500 in one day.

If your dog is looking at you with longing, it’s not too late. Order your dog’s child handmade dog treats today, and feel great about helping Miles get his service dog. To learn more, visit give-a-dog-a-bone-for-miles.myshopify.com.

Dog bones for sale! – Courtesy Photo

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