8-year-old meets her new diabetic alert dog
PORTLAND, Ore. - A local girl celebrated her eighth birthday with a unique gift - a black Labrador named Sarah that will serve as her diabetic alert dog.
Bekah Timm was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes last year and the service dog, bred specifically to detect blood sugar levels, will be her companion.
"She will be able to recognize when my daughter's blood sugar level goes too low or too high and she'll be able to alert her with a certain signal that we will train the dog to do," Heidi Timm, Bekah's mother, told KATU.
A group out of Virginia called Guardian Angel Service Dogs helped Bekah's family to get Sarah but the family still needs to raise money to pay for the dog, so they're planning to hold a mini golf tournament in Hazel Dell next month. You can visit Bekah's website to learn more about the family's fundraising efforts.
"This is going to give her a lot more independence and it's just really going to give our family more peace of mind," Heidi Timm said.