THIS year's Dandy dog winner Kai is not just a pretty face, she is a lifeline for her owner's autistic son.
The playful 19-month-old Parson Jack Russell helps owner Scott Crackett's son Callum, 15, to get more involved in family life and feel less isolated.
Scott, aged 36 of Wood Street, Barnsley said helping Callum's development was part of the reason they to get a dog.
“Having Kai was a way of bringing Callum in. His conversation isn’t great but he can talk about the dog so if he can’t join in with our conversation he starts talking about her.
“He can take her out, he gets love from her and he feels that. Kai, Callum and my daughter Charlotte all go out for walks together.”
Scott was shocked his faithful pet was picked out from over 600 dogs because she isn’t a pedigree pooch.
He reckons she has obsessive compulsive disorder because she won’t leave her favourite toy alone. “She is obsessed with this yellow ball. She walks around with it in her mouth, she sleeps with it and if you are in the garden she pesters the life out of you until you throw it for her.
“I didn’t expect her to win at all but I told everybody in the street to vote for her.”
Kai’s playmate is Storm, a ten-month-old German Shepherd. Even though Storm towers over Kai she is the boss but Scott says the family cat actually rules the roost over both dogs.
