LISTEN: From Hanoi to the Highlands and helping to foster a remarkable bond
Inverness-shire woman pens the story of the street-dog from Thailand who penned a special bond with her disabled son
Amanda Leask from Inverness rescued her remarkable dog Miracle from a horrific dog meat truck in Thailand, and brought him home to live with her, but what she could never have imagined was the incredible effect that he would have on her severely autistic six-year old son Kyle.
Now she's put that story into print, with the family having come through the other side of some very difficult times. Kyle’s twin brother sadly died at birth, and Kyle himself suffers from both cerebral palsy and autism, but Miracle has changed his life and the whole family. Even though Kyle cannot speak and struggles to communicate, Miracle seems to understand him and knows when he needs him; he is calmer and happier when Miracle is around and Amanda says that in saving Miracle she was really saving herself.
Miracle won the Crufts Friends for Life Award and the RSPCA Animal Hero Award last year, and Amanda's book is about the heart-breaking and inspiring journey.
"A lot of people were very interested in the story following the 'Friends For Life' award, and I always feel everyone thinks they've got a book in them, that and the fact we'd had a rough few years"
"I contacted the Kennel Club about Miracle's registration and how he'd come to the UK and from that, and how many dogs we had, and at that point I really didn't think we were suited to the 'Friends For Life' competition"
"As time went on I started to notice little things between Miracle and Kyle, and then I thought, well "Why not enter?" as I began to see the bond between the two of them"
"All the dogs love Kyle, but then I noticed him reaching out for Miracle - he's a very sensory boy - with cerebal palsy and with autism, lights, musical toys and of course the dogs. He'd reach his hands out to touch Miracle"
"Also, autistic children don't often given eye contact, if there is any it can be very fleeting - yet he will hold the dog's face and look into his eyes"
Amanda hopes the book will see the National Autistic Society for Scotland bring in the use of dogs to help with the disability as has already been seen south of the border.
Amanda's book is available from 21st April.